Gatwick Xmas 2003 incident
The 777 had come in from Cuba. Notes found there showed the 2 stowaways intended to get to Florida; they probably chose the wrong aircraft.
It appeared from investigations that the stowaways had been hiding in long grass, avoided the security vehicle's lights (night departure) and climbed up the gear leg into the wheel-bay after it left the holding point and was turning slowly onto the runway - all under the eyes of two airport security guards whose job it was to make sure that didn't happen, or to stop the take-off if necessary.
As the pros will know, a 777’s wheel-bay doors open during gear operation and then close again with the gear down leaving a small gap around the leg – big enough for agile youngsters to use. Presumably, they lodged themselves securely in the wheel-well so they wouldn’t fall out when the doors opened to retract the gear.
BA had its own security around the aircraft the entire time it was at the gate from landing to departure, in addition to what the airport describes as its security. BA had repeatedly complained about airport security and, in particular, holes in the perimeter fence. BA's request to have its own vehicle/personnel follow the aircraft from the gate had been refused, but the airport arranged for a security vehicle to do so and to wait at the holding point until it departed.
If I recall correctly, the first body fell out on approach to LGW. It was thought that the second body defrosted and dislodged while the aircraft was at LGW overnight and fell into the bottom of the ‘U’ shape made by the closed doors. It wouldn't be visible during external checks.
It fell out when the gear was raised after take-off for Mexico the next day.
It is impossible to see down into the wheel-well from the ground. I checked during the course of preparing for the Inquest.
In theory, the doors could be cycled on the ground but that has its own risks. Doing so at an airport where there is no engineering support in the event of a problem during recycling isn’t a practical option.