A man survived after stowing away in the landing gear of a private aeroplane that landed at Heathrow airport, it was disclosed today.
Austria police said the man, a 20-year-old Romanian, told British officers that he crawled under the wire of the fence surrounding Vienna Airport and climbed into the undercarriage of the jumbo jet that was parked near a building site.
The private jet, belonging to a high-ranking sheikh from the United Arab Emirates, took off from the Austrian capital and landed at Heathrow on Sunday night, according to reports.
It is said that after landing at Heathrow, the man - who claimed he was looking for work - fell out of the gear’s cavity and was caught by security.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said today that he was arrested for stowing away in an aircraft contrary to the Air Navigation Order 2009.
He said: “Police were alerted at 7.37pm on Sunday, June 6 re: a suspected stowaway on a private aeroplane that had landed at Heathrow.
“A 20-year-old Romanian national was arrested for stowing away on an aircraft, contrary to Article 143 and 241(6) of and Part B of Schedule 13 to the Air Navigation Order 2009.
“He remains in custody at Heathrow police station. It is alleged that he had stowed himself in the rear wheel compartment of the aircraft at Vienna Airport.”
PA