The body of a suspected stowaway has been found on a Boeing MD-11 freighter in Harare in Zimbabwe, which was owned by Florida-based Western Global Airlines (WGA).
The body was found on the aircraft on Sunday flying from Germany and was reportedly carrying cash for the South African Reserve Bank.
WGA told Air Cargo Week in a statement the MD-11 aircraft is leased to Network Airline Management, a longtime customer based in the UK, and the shipment consignee was the South African Reserve Bank.
WGA says the aircraft flies for Network Airline Management from Europe to Africa several times a week on a regular basis. WGA provides the aircraft and crew and Network Airline Management provides the cargo, loading and unloading, and ground security as required.
The company says the MD-11 had stopped to refuel at Harare’s domestic airport when the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) discovered the body in the lower compartment and impounded the aircraft.
“The body is presumed to be a stowaway who may have entered the airplane during a previous stop. The situation is currently under review,” WGA explains.
It says in association with Network Airline Management, it has previously flown dozens of humanitarian missions to West Africa in support of the Ebola effort.
