Which definition best describes a stowaway?

Which definition best describes a stowaway?

• A. An unauthorized passenger who buys a ticket but conceals themselves in a crew area before boarding.
• B. A person secreted on a ship or in cargo that is loaded on the ship without the consent of the owner or master, detected after departure or during unloading at the port of arrival.
• C. A passenger who becomes ill during voyage and is evacuated to shore.
• D. A crew member who assists with loading operations without pay.

Answer: (B)

A stowaway is someone secreted on a ship or in cargo that is loaded on the ship without the consent of the owner or master, detected after departure or during unloading at the port of arrival. This definition highlights three key points: concealment on board or in cargo, lack of permission from the ship’s owner or master, and discovery after the voyage has begun or when cargo is being unloaded. Stowaways travel without authorization and without a passenger manifest, often hidden to avoid detection. The other scenarios don’t fit because they involve conditions that aren’t about an unauthorized person concealed to travel secretly: buying a ticket and hiding in a crew area before boarding implies a legitimate ticket or a different kind of secrecy, not the classic unpermitted loading and post-departure discovery; illness that requires evacuation isn’t about being hidden aboard; and a crew member aiding with loading without pay is a legitimate crew role, not a hidden traveler.

A stowaway is someone secreted on a ship or in cargo that is loaded on the ship without the consent of the owner or master, detected after departure or during unloading at the port of arrival. This definition highlights three key points: concealment on board or in cargo, lack of permission from the ship’s owner or master, and discovery after the voyage has begun or when cargo is being unloaded. Stowaways travel without authorization and without a passenger manifest, often hidden to avoid detection.

The other scenarios don’t fit because they involve conditions that aren’t about an unauthorized person concealed to travel secretly: buying a ticket and hiding in a crew area before boarding implies a legitimate ticket or a different kind of secrecy, not the classic unpermitted loading and post-departure discovery; illness that requires evacuation isn’t about being hidden aboard; and a crew member aiding with loading without pay is a legitimate crew role, not a hidden traveler.