A body discovered by horrified ground staff who noticed blood dripping from a US plane which was carrying suitcases of cash may have been a stowaway from a previous flight, it has been claimed.

The Western Global Airlines charter flight had been hired by the South African government, and was flying from Munich to Durban with millions of Rand onboard when it stopped in Harare, Zimbabwe.

But as ground staff inspected the plane, they noticed blood dripping onto the runway - something the crew originally dismissed as the result of hitting a bird, one source said.

It fell to the American captain to put on latex gloves and open the hatch, at which point a body fell half-way out, witnesses revealed.

Soldiers patrol around a United States registered cargo plane at Harare International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Monday. The Western Global Airlines charter flight had begun its journey in Germany

Armed soldiers are seen patrolling around the plane following the grim discovery of a man's body

The man, who a source told MailOnline was of 'African' appearance, had burns on his head.

Western Global Airlines has now said the man is thought to have been a stowaway who boarded the Boeing MD-11 freighter aircraft, which is leased to Network Airline Management, before a previous flight. It had previously been in Uganda, Nigeria and Belgium.

The spokesman said: 'Western Global’s aircraft fly for Network Airline Management from Europe to Africa several times a week on a regular basis. Western Global provides the aircraft and crew and Network Airline Management provides the cargo, loading and unloading, and ground security as required.

'This particular flight was from Germany to South Africa, we are told for the South African Government. During a routine fuel stop in Zimbabwe, a body was found in the lower compartment.

'The body is presumed to be a stowaway who may have entered the airplane during a previous stop. The situation is currently under review.'

Police in the Zimbabwean capital have now impounded the plane, which was said to carrying cargo for South African Reserve Bank, based in Pretoria, while they investigate the matter.

According to the airport, the plane was carrying a 'diplomatic consignment', with the South African ambassador spending most of Sunday at the airport.

The current whereabouts of the crew - said to be two Americans, a South African and a Pakistani - is not known, but some reports suggest they have been arrested.

Zimbabwean aviation authorities impounded the jet after a dead body later believed to be a stowaway and millions of South African rand were found on board, a senior official said

According to Zimbabwe's Herald, the captain had originally requested to stop in Mozambique, but was turned down - so turned to the neighboring country.

A source told the newspaper: 'Upon refueling, the airport attendant discovered that there was blood dripping from the plane.

'When they checked to try and ascertain where the blood was coming from that is when they discovered a suspended dead body in the plane.'

Another source revealed to the African News Agency that they were first told by the crew they had 'hit a bird in the air'.

'But then a search was made and the body of an adult male fell out,' the source said.

Discovery: The charter flight landed in Harare on Sunday, where ground staff found blood dripping from the cargo hold - and then discovered the body of a man 'suspended' inside. the airport is pictured above

David Chawota, chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, confirmed it had decided to hold the plane.

'The police are now handling the issue and the plane, which is owned by Western Global Airlines, has been grounded at Harare International Airport since Sunday,' he told BDLive.

Western Global Airlines is based in Florida, but boasts of its 'vast operating reach' across 44 countries as one of 'largest worldwide commercial cargo transportation services'.

It is privately owned by founder James K Neff and Sunny Neff, and has a freighter fleet of 16 wide-body aircraft used by the likes of UPS and FedEx.