AMSTERDAM — A man survived an 11-hour flight in the wheel well of a plane, according to police in the Netherlands.
The plane took off from Johannesburg, South Africa, and landed at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Sunday.
The man was taken to the hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
A spokesperson for Dutch military police said it is very unusual for someone to be able to survive the low temperatures at such a high altitude.
The military police, or Marechaussee, are investigating the man’s travel route and whether this was a case of migrant smuggling.
Police have not disclosed details about the man, other than he was 22 years old.
The plane originated from Johannesburg but made a stop in Nairobi, Kenya, so it is unclear when the man snuck on to the wheel well.
Stowaways don’t always survive.
In 2020, the body of a stowaway was found in the landing gear of aircraft that took off from the Ivory Coast and landed in Paris.
