Heathrow stowaway who fell to his death over London is finally identified

Police have identified a man whose body fell from the undercarriage of a plane last year.

Jose Matada, aged 30, was found in Portman Avenue, Mortlake in September but his identity remained a mystery until now.

Detectives analysed a SIM card found in the Mozambican's jeans and contacted the phone numbers that were stored on it.

They had originally thought he was Angolan because of currency found in his pockets and the fact that a flight from Luanda, Angola had passed over shortly before the body was found.

Officers are now working with authorities in Mozambique to try to find his next of kin.

Mr Matada's body was found soon after a flight from Luanda, Angola, flew over the residential area which is on the Heathrow flight path.

He was wearing jeans, a grey hoody and white trainers and was not a member of air crew or a passenger. He had a tattoo with a very distinctive emblem and the letters ' Z ' and 'G ' clearly visible, a picture of which has been released by the Met Police.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Matada died from multiple injuries. An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned.

Police were called at just before 8am on Sunday, September 9, to Portman Avenue, following reports of a dead body.

London Ambulance Service attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the time resident Annie Williams, who lives in the house nearest to where the body fell, said she heard a loud noise when she was opening her curtains.

She said: “I heard a monstrous bang. I thought someone had been hit by a car. There were two fellows going to church and they said there’s a dead body in the street. Not your usual Sunday in Sheen.”

Thursday 11 April 2013

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