Zimbabwe impounds US plane carrying cash and dead body

A US cargo jet containing millions of South African rand was impounded at Harare International Airport on Sunday.

According to AP, a senior official confirmed the report, saying a dead body was also found on board the plane.

David Chawota, general manager of Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, said the plane was registered with Western Global Airlines based in Estero, Florida.

“The case is now in the hands of the state. It involves nationals and property of other countries so I am no longer qualified to give much detail but yes we impounded the plane on Sunday,” Chawota told The Associated Press.

“The crew requested to land for refueling but our ground-handling personnel discovered blood leaks and became suspicious. Talk to the police for more details,” he said by telephone, refusing to give details about the crew or the cargo.

Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said she did not have the facts of the case yet.

State-run Herald newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, reported on Monday that the MD-11 trijet was traveling from Germany to South Africa “stashed with millions of rands.”

The crew, according to the Herald, includes two Americans, a South African and a Pakistani.

The US embassy said it does not yet have a comment on the matter.

Several US embassy vehicles were seen at the airport Monday morning, according to AP.

In 2004, Harare airport authorities impounded a plane with 64 people on board, who were arrested on accusations that they had been on their way to stage a coup in Equatorial Guinea.