A west African migrant, thought to be from Guinea, West Africa, was found in a special compartment under the car bonnet as it crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco and another was hidden behind the back seat of the Mercedes-300 car.
Guardia Civil border police discovered him crammed between the engine block and radiator after noticing that the driver of the car appeared nervous.
Curled in the foetal position next to a car engine, this migrant was lucky to be alive after going to desperate lengths to try to smuggle himself into Europe.
The two men from Guinea got first aid, having suffered from a lack of oxygen, Spain’s Guardia Civil police said.
Sub-Saharan Africans often try to enter Ceuta, as a gateway to the EU.
The Mercedes 300 was found to have false number plates. Police detained two Moroccan men who were in the car when it was stopped.
It is not clear how long the man in the engine compartment had been inhaling noxious fumes for.
He was taken to hospital suffering from the effects of the intense heat and petrol fumes and doctors said he could have died if he had been there much longer.
