I think the incident reported at the end of the LA Time's
coverage of the incident says a great deal about the state of mind of those who try...
Little is known about stowaways' motivations because so few survive. Many hail from impoverished nations and board planes bound for North America or Europe, presumably seeking better lives.
That was the case of two 14-year-old boys whose bodies were found in the wheel well of a plane in Brussels after a flight from their West African home country of Guinea. In that case, a letter was found in one of the boys' pockets. Signed by both boys, it said they wished to bring attention to the suffering of children in Africa. Written in French, the letter explained: "If you see that we have sacrificed and risked our lives, it is because there is too much suffering in Africa and we need you to struggle against poverty and put an end to war in Africa. Nevertheless, we want to study and we ask you to help us in Africa to study to be like you."