A Romanian stowaway clung to the undercarriage of a Dubai royal family jet during a flight at 25,000 feet from Vienna, Austria before tumbling onto the tarmac when the plane landed at London Heathrow Airport in England last Sunday.

 

The Civil Aviation Authority  said today he had been "incredibly lucky" to have survived. He could easily have been crushed by the wheels and also faced temperatures of minus 41C and a lack of oxygen.

 

One source said that considering his ordeal he "was in incredibly good shape." The plane would normally have flown at 37,000 feet, which would have killed him, but was flying lower because of adverse weather conditions.

 

Paramedics examined him at Heathrow after his arrest, but he had sustained no injuries. He was questioned, however, about entering Britain without a passport.

 

Since Romania is a member of the European Union he had committed no immigration offenses and was therefore released. Vienna airport police chief Leo Lauber said: "He aimed for any jet it would seem, not one in particular. After wriggling under the fence he headed for the aircraft nearest to the fence. He had no idea where it was going to. Initial inquiries here seem to indicate he wanted to go abroad to find work." 

 

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