Stowaway on Plane From Nairobi Baffles Dutch Police After Surviving 11-Hr Flight

An image showing a plane's wheels.
An image showing a plane's wheels.
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A stowaway who was aboard an Amsterdam-bound Plane is lucky to be alive after flying for more than 11 hours from Nairobi, Kenya.

Reports indicate that the unidentified stowaway was found in the wheel section of a Amsterdam-bound plane after it touched down at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

The man, believed to be aged between 16 and 35 years, shocked the Dutch Police officers that he was still breathing after spending more than 11 hours in extreme weather conditions.

The higher altitudes experience freezing conditions with low levels of oxygen.

Entrance to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam
Entrance to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
Internationalairportreview.com

The plane, which left South Africa and made a stop in Nairobi, touched down at Schiphol Airport on the morning of Sunday, January 23, 2022. 

It is still not clear whether the stowaway boarded the plane in Johannesburg or Nairobi.

Speaking to the press, Royal Dutch Military Police spokeswoman Joanna Helmonds noted that the man was taken to hospital shortly after touch down.

"The man was found alive in the nose wheel section of the plane and was taken to hospital in a stable condition. It is quite remarkable that the man is still alive," stated Helmonds according to AFP.

According to CNN, authorities at the airport noted that they first noticed something that looked like a person and brought emergency services since he had low body temperature.

After emergency medical procedure was done on him, he was transferred to a hospital in Amsterdam for specialised treatment.

Helmonds further explained that after he is discharged, he will be moved to an asylum to determine whether he was trying to flee to Netherlands.

"When the man has recovered and cleared by the hospital, he will then be processed at the Asylum Seekers Centre (AZC) where his status will be determined if he indeed is looking for asylum," added Helmonds.

The man was aboard a Boeing 747 freighter cargo plane.

An undated photo of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Embakasi, Nairobi
An undated photo of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Embakasi, Nairobi
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