BRUSSELS Two young African stowaways who were found dead on Monday in the landing gear of a plane in Brussels left a handwritten letter explaining the hardships that caused them to pursue such a dangerous plan, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office said on Tuesday. "They asked for the attention of European excellencies and officials, not just due to their situation, but also for all the young Africans affected by war," Lieve Pellens, a spokeswoman for the Public Prosecutor's Office, told Reuters. The letter cited the lack of education, food, leisure activities, sports, and opportunities for young Africans, Pellens said.

The bodies of Koita Yaguine, 15, and Tounkara Fode, 16, both from Guinea, were found in the landing gear of a Sabena plane on Monday while it was being refuelled. The plane had originated in Conakry, Guinea, and had stopped in Bamako, Mali, en route to Brussels. Pellens said an autopsy would be conducted on Tuesday to determine whether the two teenagers died from lack of oxygen or exposure to the cold.

It was not known how long the two had been dead when their bodies were found, she said. (Reuter)