The dangerous practice of stowaways hiding in a vessel’s rudder trunk Discovering the stowaways
The tanker vessel, CHAMPION PULA, departed from Lagos in Nigeria on 25 September. After 10 days the vessel arrived Las Palmas for loading operations. To everyone’s surprise four stowaways were discovered by the Spanish port authorties sitting on the vessel’s rudder. For over 10 days they had survived on the open sea, close to the propeller, with minimal food and water. Gard’s member, Champion Tankers AS of Bergen, was unaware of their presence on the vessel as it was not possible to access the rudder trunk from the ship.