Parents located of Chinese teen stowaway aboard Emirates flight

The parents of the teenage boy who was discovered hiding on an Emirates flight from Shanghai to Dubai have been located.

An official from the Chinese Consulate in Dubai confirmed the news, even as the authority continues to provide assistance to the 16-year-old Xu, ‎who hails from the Sichuan province in China.

The official further said: "The teenage boy is physically and mentally doing fine, and the consulate continues to provide assistance as required.

"The boy's parents have also been located and the matter is currently being handled by the Dubai Police."

Quizzed whether the boy is being charged, the consulate official replied: "His case is currently with the Dubai Prosecution department, which will determine what charges would be brought against him.

"We respect the UAE laws."

The teenager had slipped into an Emirates Airbus A380 plane's cargo hold at Shanghai Airport and made the harrowing nine-hour journey to Dubai.

The incident occurred on flight EK303 on May 27.

‎In a statement issued earlier, an Emirates spokesperson said: “We are co-operating fully with authorities in Dubai and as this is a police matter we are unable to comment further at this time."

The Chinese consulate official confirmed the boy attempted the risky journey to make 'easy money' because he had heard that beggars in Dubai could earn hundreds of thousands of Yuan annually.

Xinhua reported that a translator appointed by prosecutors said the teen jumped over a fence at the Shanghai airport and climbed into the cargo hold while a security guard looked away.

Emirates' First Stowaway: Teen found on Shanghai-Dubai flight

A Chinese teenager has been discovered hiding in the cargo hold of an Emirates passenger plane, which had flown from Shanghai to Dubai on May 27.

Emirates has confirmed the incident, stating Dubai Police are currently investigating the matter.

According to the Dubai-based carrier, the stowaway was discovered on flight EK303 last Friday.

“Emirates can confirm that on May 27, a stowaway was found in the cargo hold of flight EK303 from Shanghai to Dubai.

“We are co-operating fully with authorities in Dubai and as this is a police matter we are unable to comment further at this time,” a spokesperson said.

The airline has not revealed the stowaway’s identity, but China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency have identified him as a 16-year-old boy named Xu.

The news agency said that the boy attempted the risky journey because he had heard that beggars in Dubai could earn hundreds of thousands of Yuan annually.

Xinhua reported that a translator appointed by prosecutors said the teen jumped over a fence at the Shanghai airport and climbed into the cargo hold while a security guard looked away.

The boy then made the journey in the Airbus A380 cargo hold for over nine hours.

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