A stowaway was found alive on Sunday in a wheel well in the nose of a cargo plane that flew 11 hours from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, Dutch police confirmed.
The man, whose name was not released, was taken to a local hospital after authorities discovered him at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The man is in stable condition but had a low body temperature upon arrival.
“Our first concern of course was for his health,” Joanna Helmonds, a spokeswoman for the Dutch military police, told Reuters. “This is definitely very unusual that someone was able to survive the cold at such a height — very, very unusual.”
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Dutch authorities said it is unclear when the man arrived on the plane, due to a stop the plane made in Nairobi, Kenya. His age and ethnicity have not been determined, but officials at the airport told CNN they believe he is between 16 and 35. Helmonds added that the man’s motive for being on the plane will be discussed after he is cleared by the hospital.
“When the man has recovered and cleared by the hospital, he will then be processed at the Asylum Seekers Center, where his status will be determined if he indeed is looking for asylum,” Helmonds said.
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An investigation into the incident is underway. The plane’s freight carrier, Cargolux, acknowledged the investigation, but it declined to comment until the investigation is complete.
