Man Hospitalized in Critical Condition After Stowing Away on Flight from Algeria to France

On Thursday, a man was admitted to the hospital with hypothermia after stowing away on an Air Algerie flight from Oran, Algeria, to Paris Orly Airport. The individual was discovered in the landing gear compartment during technical inspections conducted after the flight's arrival at Orly at 10:14 a.m., as reported by the tracking website FlightAware. Although the man lacked any identification, French prosecutors informed Agence France Presse that he is estimated to be in his 20s. According to airport officials cited by AFP, the severity of the man's hypothermia was deemed life-threatening.

Commercial flights typically cruise at altitudes of 30,000 to 40,000 feet, where temperatures plummet to 58 degrees below zero. Moreover, the reduced oxygen levels at such altitudes can induce fainting and lead to damage to the brain. Dr. Gilles Daphinet, an aviation expert, expressed concerns about the potential for irreversible damage to the brain, stating, "We can remain hopeful that, through rewarming and specialized care, cardiac activity may resume. However, the significant issue lies in the brain, the most vulnerable organ. I find it difficult to envision an escape without incurring irreversible damage," as translated by Google, in an interview with Le Parisien.