Emergency crews were called to Pier 84 on the Delaware River just after noon Monday, where the cargo freighter was docked

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Authorities say workers in Philadelphia unloading cocoa beans from a freighter from West Africa have found the body of a presumed stowaway in the cargo hold.

Emergency crews were called to Pier 84 on the Delaware River just after noon Monday. That’s where Sian C was docked after arriving Thursday from the Ivory Coast.

Stephen Sapp of US Customs and Border Protection says the victim wasn’t a crew member. He says investigators presume the person stowed away, but there are other possibilities, such as a worker trapped while loading sacks of beans.

Sapp says customs officials are trying to identify the person and will work with the local coroner and the State Department to return the body to relatives.

