A plane has been seized in Zimbabwe after large amounts of cash and a corpse were found on board

APZimbabwean Armed Soldiers patrol around a United States registered cargo plane at Harare International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday, Feb,15.2016.

A US-owned plane carrying millions of South African rand has been impounded in Zimbabwe after a corpse was found on board, the BBC, citing state-run media, reported.

Blood was discoverd on the aircraft during a routine refuelling stop on the way to South Africa where it was due to deliver cargo belonging to the country's Reserve Bank.

The plane, owned by Florida-based company Western Global Airlines, had been traveling from Germany to South Africa when a request was made to refuel at Harare International Airport.

A source told the Zimbabwe Herald that after spotting blood, airport attendants discovered a dead body on the jet.

The South African ambassador to Zimbabwe, Vusi Mavimbela, told Reuters six crew members and a few officials from the South African central bank were on the flight.

"Unfortunately there was a stowaway that was found on the plane and (Zimbabwe) authorities are trying to get to the bottom of the issue," he said.

"Where did the person get in there? When and how? Because the crew and the Reserve Bank authorities who were there accompanying the cargo were not aware."

A senior official at the bank, Pradeep Maharaj, said that they are working with authorities to make sure that the cargo is released and allowed to complete its journey to South Africa.

Maharaj told the BBC: "The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is aware of an aircraft carrying a SARB consignment that stopped in Harare and was detained following the discovery of an unidentified body that is presumed to be a stowaway on the aircraft."

David Chawota of Zimbabwe's Civil Aviation Authority said that the matter has been handed over to the police for investigation.