Stowaway survives against all odds on flight from SA to Netherlands

Dutch military police discovered a stowaway from South Africa in the wheel section under the front of a Cargolux freight plane which arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport on Sunday.

Royal Dutch Military Police spokesperson Joanne Helmonds told AFP: “The man was found alive in the nosewheel section of the plane and was taken to hospital in a stable condition.”

Stowaway on SA flight

His survival ‘very, very unusual’

The man – whose age and nationality has not yet been made public – was taken to a hospital as it is “very, very unusual” for someone to survive the cold at such a height.

Dutch border control authorities said he was “doing well considering the circumstances”, adding that their first priority “was for his health”.

It is suspected that the man entered the plane before takeoff in Johannesburg.

Helmonds said it was “quite remarkable that the man is still alive”, considering the flight times between Johannesburg and Amsterdam average about 11 hours.

Stowaways to Netherlands ‘rare’

According to Dutch publication NOS, the man’s body temperature was raised at the scene. When transported to hospital via ambulance, he was able to answer basic questions.

As per the airport’s website and flight tracking data, the Boeing 747 freighter travelled from Johannesburg and made a stop in Nairobi, Kenya, before arriving in Amsterdam on Sunday.

Helmonds said stowaways on flights to the Netherlands are rare, noting that previous attempts had involved would-be migrants from Nigeria and Kenya.

SA stowaways on British Airways flight

Back in 2015, two men – Themba Cabeka and his friend Carlito – devised a plan to get on board a British Airways flight from Johannesburg to London.

They stowed away in the plane’s wheel housing. Carlito, however, did not survive the flight.

In March 2021, Cabeka spoke out for the first time and explained the duo was homeless in Johannesburg; they were constantly in danger and hungry.

They waited for the perfect opportunity to sneak onto the plane: “It was simple but it was dangerous. But for me and Carlito it seemed like it was a piece of a cake, you know?”

READ MORE HERE: SA stowaway details burns, coma and life after ‘escape’

Joanne Helmonds’ quotes from AFP. Additional reporting by Sandisiwe Mbhele.