Cape Town, South Africa - A Libyan teenager is being held on Cape Town’s famous Robben Island in South Africa, after stowing away on a ship which sailed from Ghana a few days ago.
Nineteen-year-old Charles Mussuah was spotted in a life raft near the island late on Sunday night and was picked up by the National Sea Rescue Institute.
He told his rescuers that he launched the life raft from the Safmarine ship Cha Chai as it neared Cape Town, although he had no idea where he was.
Mussuah told the authorities that he was hoping to make it to the US, where he has relatives.
The ship is now lying at anchor in Table Bay.
Although the Libyan suffered from mild dehydration, he is in good health.
The Department of Home Affairs on Tuesday said it would not allow the stowaway into South Africa and that he would be sent back to Libya on the same ship when it departs.
Last August, an unidentified stowaway made headlines when he scaled the fence at Cape Town International Airport and climbed into the undercarriage of a British Airways 747 as it was preparing to take off.
The man’s body landed in a London Street when the plane began its approach to Heathrow Airport.
Pana 26/02/2013