iafrica.com/news/worldnews/441404.htmDENMARK
Stowaways 'severely decomposed'
The bodies of three African stowaways were discovered in a container onboard the Danish "Arnold Maersk" ship that sails between Algeciras in southern Spain and Malaysia, ship-owner AP Moeller-Maersk said on Wednesday.
"Members of the crew discovered a smelly liquid oozing out of one of the ship's containers on May 12. They opened the container that held the bodies of three people who had been dead for some time," AP Moeller-Maersk spokesperson Rikke Jensen told AFP.
"The crew had no chance of hearing the screams or the sounds that the victims may have made to indicate their presence, since 'Arnold Maersk' is 350 metres long and holds some 6600 containers," she said.
The container in question had come from Agadir in southwestern Morocco, where the victims, who were only identified as Africans, are thought to have stowed away about two weeks ago in the hope of reaching Europe.
By the time of their discovery, the bodies were reportedly severely decomposed, as was the clothing and the food and drink the stowaways had with them.
The tragic event was reported to Malaysian authorities when the ship arrived at the port of Tanjung Pelepas on May 14, AP Moeller-Maersk said.
According to the Danish Shipowners Association, some 50 stowaways are discovered onboard Danish commercial ships each year.