RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, July 12 – Four stowaways were rescued off the southeast coast of Brazil after spending 13 days at sea hidden in the hull of a ship from Nigeria, police said Tuesday.
The four had hidden in a compartment on top of the rudder — a part of the ship that is sometimes submerged, the federal police said.
They were found by crew members of the Liberia-flagged ship, which had departed from Lagos on June 27, it added.
A police official told AFP the four were “healthy” and “well-fed.”
According to the police, “the men rescued claim to be Nigerians, but they did not carry any documents confirming their origin.”
The men will remain in Brazilian custody until they are returned to their country of origin, said the statement.
