DURBAN - A STOWAWAY was found alive in the wheel section under the front of a Cargolux freight plane on Sunday that landed in Amsterdam.
Royal Netherlands Marechaussee Staff Commander for Cluster Communication, First Lieutenant Mike Hofman, confirmed the incident to The Mercury.
“We found a stowaway at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on a flight arriving from South Africa. After he was found, it was discovered that he was still breathing. Therefore, a medevac helicopter was called in to provide medical care. He’s currently in the hospital, conscious and able to communicate.”
Hofman added that at this stage, they were not able to share any personal information. “We’re investigating the case.”
He added that it was rare that stowaways survived. “In the past five years, we have discovered seven stowaways in the Netherlands. Only two survived.”
Marechaussee spokesperson Joanna Helmonds said the man’s age and nationality had not yet been determined.
“Our first concern of course was for his health. This is definitely very unusual that someone was able to survive the cold at such a height. Very, very unusual.”
Freight carrier Cargolux confirmed that a stowaway had been on a flight it operated. “We are not in a position to comment until the authorities and the airline have completed their investigations.”
According to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s website and flight tracking data, the only Cargolux freight flight arriving at Schiphol on Sunday was a Boeing 747 freighter that travelled from Joburg and made a stop in Nairobi, Kenya.
Flight times between Johannesburg and Amsterdam average about 11 hours.
An Amsterdam Airport Schiphol spokesperson would not comment.
Lunga Ngqengelele, the spokesperson for the South African Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco), said the department was looking into the incident. “We are still trying to verify if the stowaway is a South African citizen. We understand that the freight carrier made a stop at Kenya. We are still trying to verify the details with the embassy. At this stage we’re unable to say anything more.”
Last year, border police discovered the body of a Nigerian man in the landing gear of a plane arriving at Schiphol airport.
THE MERCURY