HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwean aviation authorities impounded a U.S.-registered cargo jet, a senior official said Monday, after a dead body later believed to be a stowaway and millions of South African rand were found on board.
The Herald, a state-run newspaper, reported that the MD-11 trijet was traveling from Germany to South Africa “with millions of rands.” At today’s exchange rate, 1 million rand is worth $62,500.
Authorities here learned the money belonged to the South Africa Reserve Bank, the country’s central bank. Police planned to issue a statement later Monday.
The plane had landed in Harare for refueling, said Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe general manager David Chawota. He said the jet, registered with Western Global Airlines, was impounded at Harare airport on Sunday. A website says Western Global Airlines is based in Estero, Florida. The airline on Monday said the cargo belonged to the South African Reserve Bank and the dead body belonged presumably to a stowaway. Zimbabwe police said it was still investigating the matter.
The crew did not know there was someone else on the plane, according to a police officer, who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press. It appears from photos on social media that the dead person had sneaked into the plane’s landing gear, which severed his arm when it contracted, causing blood to splatter onto the fuselage and arousing the suspicion of the ground crew when the flight landed here.
In a response to AP queries, Western Global Airlines said it didn’t have the identity of the dead person, believed to be a stowaway.
“The aircraft is leased to Network Airline Management, a longtime customer based in the UK, and the shipment consignee was the South African Reserve Bank. This particular flight was from Germany to South Africa, we are told for the South African government. During a routine fuel stop in Zimbabwe, a body was found in the lower compartment. The body is presumed to be a stowaway who may have entered the airplane during a previous stop. The situation is currently under review,” the airline said in an e-mail response to The Associated Press.
South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Vusi Mavimbela, confirmed that the cargo belonged to the South African Reserve Bank but refused to divulge further details, saying he was still liaising with the Zimbabwe government to resolve the matter. He refused to divulge the nature of the cargo or the amount of money that was in the plane.
Zimbabwe police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said investigations are still underway.
“Our officers are on the ground investigating the case. We are working hard to get the identity of this dead person but I will only give clearer details when investigations are complete. The body has been taken for tests by experts,” she said on Monday night.
The crew, according to the Herald, includes two Americans, a South African and a Pakistani.
Geez —
How many times do they need to repeat that they think it was a stowaway … they found money on board … they’re investigating … etc … Do they think I’m a Republican ? ? ----
Other than the basic facts: Stowaway and millions of rands, I have no idea what’s going on after reading this story. Was the stowaway’s arm severed and that’s when he died? Did he somehow end up in the plane, even with a severed arm, and then die? Was the money stolen? Did the stowaway have any connection with the money or is that a coincidence?
I’m confused.
weirdness, and location reminds me of The Constant Gardener
I think this has something to do with an email to which I responded. The email mentioned a Nigerian Prince and problems that he was having getting his funds out of the country. I wasn’t aware that they were planning to travel through Zimbabwe.
I’m still waiting for my cash deposit and promised share of his impounded funds to be transferred back into my account. I’m starting to get a little nervous that this isn’t as legitimate as the Prince’s email made it sound.
Should I be worried?
It’s a pretty poorly written story, but it’s partly because everyone involved seems to be keeping their mouth shut. Reading between the lines a little bit:
The plane was a private charter carrying a cargo of money for the South Africa Reserve Bank.
Somebody tried to stow away by climbing into the wheel well, which is not that uncommon but an extremely bad way of doing so for reasons that should be obvious. Also because it’s unpressurized and unheated, meaning you’re spending hours at 30,000 ft and -50 degrees.
The Bank clearly knew about this shipment of money, but the fact that they’re so tight-lipped about it suggests that either they’re embarassed about their security being so sloppy that someone could just get on the plane like this, or that the money wasn’t quite going for legitimate purposes.