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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| 'Plane stowaway' body found on Richmond roof | 'Plane stowaway' body found on Richmond roof |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A stowaway who is believed to have clung on to a plane has fallen to his death, while another is in hospital. | A stowaway who is believed to have clung on to a plane has fallen to his death, while another is in hospital. |
| The two men are believed to have been clinging to a British Airways flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow. | The two men are believed to have been clinging to a British Airways flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow. |
| The victim was found on the roof of notonthehighstreet.com's headquarters on Kew Road, Richmond, at about 09:35 BST on Thursday. Police said his death was being treated as unexplained. | The victim was found on the roof of notonthehighstreet.com's headquarters on Kew Road, Richmond, at about 09:35 BST on Thursday. Police said his death was being treated as unexplained. |
| The man who was injured is in a critical condition in hospital. | The man who was injured is in a critical condition in hospital. |
| The Met Police said it could not confirm if the two cases were linked. | The Met Police said it could not confirm if the two cases were linked. |
| In a statement, the force said: "At this time there is no evidence to link the death to the discovery of a stowaway in the undercarriage of a plane at Heathrow Airport; however this is one line of enquiry into identifying the deceased and the circumstances of his death." | In a statement, the force said: "At this time there is no evidence to link the death to the discovery of a stowaway in the undercarriage of a plane at Heathrow Airport; however this is one line of enquiry into identifying the deceased and the circumstances of his death." |
| 'Rare case' | 'Rare case' |
| The surviving man, who is believed to be aged 24, was found in the undercarriage of the plane at about 08:20 BST and taken to a west London hospital. | The surviving man, who is believed to be aged 24, was found in the undercarriage of the plane at about 08:20 BST and taken to a west London hospital. |
| Officers believe they know his identity but are awaiting confirmation. | Officers believe they know his identity but are awaiting confirmation. |
| The 8,000 miles (12,875km) journey from South Africa to the UK usually takes about 11 hours. | The 8,000 miles (12,875km) journey from South Africa to the UK usually takes about 11 hours. |
| In a statement, British Airways said: "We are working with the Metropolitan Police and the authorities in Johannesburg to establish the facts surrounding this very rare case." | In a statement, British Airways said: "We are working with the Metropolitan Police and the authorities in Johannesburg to establish the facts surrounding this very rare case." |
| Notonthehighstreet.com said the incident was "unrelated to the business or its team members and added the company was "co-operating with the ongoing police enquiry". | Notonthehighstreet.com said the incident was "unrelated to the business or its team members and added the company was "co-operating with the ongoing police enquiry". |
| A post-mortem examination will be carried out on the dead man, who has not yet been identified. | A post-mortem examination will be carried out on the dead man, who has not yet been identified. |
| Officers said enquiries are ongoing into how long his body had been on the roof. | Officers said enquiries are ongoing into how long his body had been on the roof. |
| There have been other cases where stowaways have fallen to their deaths in London after smuggling themselves onto planes and hiding in landing gear. | There have been other cases where stowaways have fallen to their deaths in London after smuggling themselves onto planes and hiding in landing gear. |
| In September 2012, Jose Matada, 26, died after falling from the undercarriage of a flight from Angola to Heathrow on to a street in Mortlake, west London. | In September 2012, Jose Matada, 26, died after falling from the undercarriage of a flight from Angola to Heathrow on to a street in Mortlake, west London. |
| An inquest heard he may have survived freezing temperatures of up to minus 60C (-76F) for most of the 12-hour flight, but it was believed he was "dead or nearly dead" by the time he hit the ground. | |
| At the scene | |
| Phillip Norton, BBC News Correspondent in Richmond | |
| Aircrafts are a part of daily life in this area of London - just seven miles away from Heathrow - jets fly over every few minutes. | |
| But the discovery of a man's body on top of the four-storey building close to Richmond station is particularly shocking for the community. | |
| If the body had landed a few metres either side, it would have landed on a busy roundabout or near a row of shops. | |
| And that another man has somehow survived such a long flight crammed into the wheel well of an aircraft is also surprising. If the moving mechanism of the landing gear or the cold does not cause death - a lack of oxygen often can. | |
| People who work and live around here say they are shocked at such a tragic set of events. The local vicar will offer prayers for both men in a service at a nearby church tonight. | |
| People's thoughts are very much with the two men who desperately tried to find a better life, but whose dangerous journey ended in tragedy. |