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Teenage stowaway found in hold of Emirates plane
A stowaway teen from China was discovered alive in the cargo hold of an Emirates plane which had flown for nine hours from Shanghai to Dubai.
The Dubai-based carrier said the 16-year old was found in the cargo hold of flight EK303 last Friday.
"We are co-operating fully with authorities in Dubai and as this is a police matter we are unable to comment further at this time," a spokesperson said.
China news agency named the boy as Xu, who had scaled a perimeter fence at Shanghai and climbed into the cargo hold while a security guard was looking the other way.
The news agency said the boy told investigators he decided to travel to the Gulf after hearing stories panhandlers (beggars) can earn hundreds of thousands of Yuan a year in Dubai.
"I hope that Chinese citizens will not follow such rumors," said Ma Xuliang, China’s deputy consul general in Dubai.
"The UAE has strict laws banning begging, violators of which will be punished in accordance with the law."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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