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[UPDATE] Coast Guard: Stowaways Might Be In Container Ship At NJ Port
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 27, 2012
Modified Jun 27, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 27, 2012
Modified Jun 27, 2012
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[UPDATE BELOW] The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating a container ship docked at Port Newark because it suspects there may be stowaways aboard. Coast Guard spokesman Charles Rowe says that knocking has been heard.
NBC New York reports that the container was loaded on the The Villa D'Aquarius in India and it began its trip in Pakistan. "The manifest says the container was carrying machine parts to be unloaded in Norfolk, Va.... Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were notified to meet the vessel at the dock."
[UPDATE] The AP reports that 80 of the 200 containers on the ship that authorities believe could be holding people have been searched. Drew Barry, of the Sandy Hook Pilots Association, boarded the vessel 20 miles offshore to help pilot it into Port Newark after Coast Guard officers "knocked on [a container] and they heard a knocking back." Barry says, "There are at least 30 to 40 containers on top of the hatch cover, and I don't know how many more below it. If there are people down there, with no food and water for days, they're probably pretty desperate by now."
It will take "several hours" to get to that portion of the ship Barry says. The ship's route began in the United Arab Emirates on May 30, then traveled to Pakistan, India, and finally Egypt on June 15 before heading to Port Newark. "The routing of the ship and the ports of call was what led to the actions," a Homeland Security agent says.
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coast guard
container ship
Pakistan
port of newark
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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