It is rare for stowaways to survive on long distance flights due to cold and lack of oxygen
JOHANNESBURG
A man who hid in the wheel section of a cargo plane traveling from Johannesburg with a stop in Nairobi was found alive Sunday at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport after enduring an 11-hour flight, Dutch authorities said.
Dutch military police, also known as the Marechaussee, confirmed in a statement posted on Twitter that a “stowaway was found in the nose wheel of a cargo plane from South Africa at Schiphol.”
The statement added that “the man is doing well under the circumstances and has been transported to the hospital. The Marechaussee is investigating.”
Authorities are expected to reveal more details about the victim including his nationality, travel route and whether there was any question of human smuggling involved.
Experts say it is rare for stowaways to survive on long distance flights due to the cold at such a height and the lack of oxygen.
