Philadelphia

Stowaway Found Dead on Cargo Ship in Delaware River

A stowaway was found dead aboard a cargo ship docked Monday in the Delaware River in South Philadelphia.

SkyForce10 showed an ambulance and hazardous materials crew at the scene around 1 p.m. Monday.

Officials say the ship arrived from the Ivory Coast on Thursday and was carrying cocoa beans from Africa. It wasn't until Monday however when the unidentified man's body was found next to a bag of snack foods. 

U.S. Customs agents say the victim likely boarded the ship at the start of the two-week journey from the Ivory Coast. 

A Chaplain with the Seamen's Church Institute of Philadelphia and South Jersey visited the ship's 14-man crew Monday and will return Tuesday to bless the ship at their request. 

"The crew is not doing well at the moment," said Reverend Canon Dr. Peter Stube of the Seamen's Church Institute. "It's a very emotional time for them so they're really distraught. Some of them are very afraid about sleeping on board the ship now so we've got to respond to it in the best way we can." 

Officials are working to identify the victim and an autopsy will be performed to determine a cause of death. 

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