BEVERLY HILLS, February 15, (THEWILL) – Zimbabwean aviation authorities have impounded a U.S.-registered cargo jet on Monday, after a dead body believed to be a stowaway and millions of South African rand were found on board.
The plane had landed in Harare for refueling en route from Germany to South Africa before aviation authorities found the items and raised the alarm.
The Herald, a state-run newspaper, reported that the MD-11 trijet was traveling from Germany to South Africa “with millions of rands.” Where 1 million rand is worth $62,500.
Authorities have learnt that the money belonged to the South Africa Reserve Bank, the country’s central bank and planned to issue a statement later.
According to David Chawota, General Manager, Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, the jet is registered with Western Global Airlines 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 as Zimbabwean Armed Soldiers were seen patrolling around the US-jet.
The crew, which was made up of two Americans, a South African and a Pakistani, claimed they 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.
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.
In 2004, Harare airport authorities impounded a plane with 64 people on board, who were arrested on accusations that they had been on their way to stage a coup in Equatorial Guinea.
Story by David Oputah
