Mystery of body found on ship

March 1997

Gardai in New Ross are still working with officials from the Nigerian Embassy in Dublin to try identify the body of a man which was discovered in the hold of a ship which docked in the town last week.

The grim discovery was made on Thursday as workers unloaded the vessel, which had sailed from The Ivory Coast in Africa on February 28 last with a cargo of animal feedstuffs.

It is believed that the man made a desperate attempt to stow away on the Irish-bound vessel, which arrived in New Ross on Wednesday after three weeks at sea.

Some documents were found beside the body, including an identity book which has led Gardaí to believe that the man concerned may have been Nigerian.

Investigations are still taking place to determine if the details contained in the book are those of the deceased, given that the document does not include a photograph.

Gardaí who inspected the ship MV Lida, where the body was discovered, believe the man to have been in his twenties.

His body was subsequently taken to Ardkeen General Hospital, were a post-mortem examination was carried out on Friday.