Zimbabwe aviation authorities have impounded a US-registered cargo jet after a dead body 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 travelling from Germany to South Africa “with millions of rands”. At the current exchange rate, 1m rand is worth £43,866.

Officials learned the money belonged to the South Africa Reserve Bank. Police planned to issue a statement later on Monday.

David Chawota, the general manager of Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the plane had landed in Harare for refuelling. He said the jet, registered with Western Global Airlines, was impounded at Harare international airport on Sunday. Western Global Airlines is reportedly based in Estero, Florida.



The crew did not know there was someone else on the plane, according to a police officer. It appears from photos on social media that the person found dead had sneaked into the plane’s landing gear. The Herald said the crew included two Americans, a South African and a Pakistani.

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.

