An autopsy case of a stowaway who was found dead in the hatchway of the landing gear of Moroccan plane: Case report and assessment of previous literature

Abstract

The patient was unknown man in his twenties who was found lifeless in plane’s landing gear compartment of Moroccan Royal airline operating flight from Conakry to Casablanca. The autopsy was performed 24 hours after the body was found. External examination of the body revealed traumatic skin abrasions and scrapes more pronounced on the chest, abdomen and limbs. The body was very frozen and Rigor mortis had already set in. Internal examination revealed brain congestion with pinkish color of the white matter, moderate hemothorax in right pulmonary cavity with fracture of 6th right rib and moderate contusion of lower lobe of the right lung. No other remarkable abnormalities were noted of other organs. Therefore, the cause of death was judged to occur as a result of the combined effect of hypothermia and thoracic trauma, based on the circumstances of the case and climatic conditions where the deceased was in, and the autopsy findings.