Afghan Teen Found Alive After Hiding in Plane’s Landing Gear on Kabul-Delhi Flight
A 13-year-old Afghan boy risked his life by stowing away in the landing gear compartment of a Kam Air passenger plane flying from Kabul to Delhi.
According to officials, the teenager, originally from Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, was discovered wandering alone on the runway at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after the aircraft landed on Monday.
Security personnel quickly detained the boy and questioned him for several hours before sending him back to Kabul on the same flight.
Journey Made Out of “Curiosity”
Authorities said the teenager told them he undertook the dangerous journey out of curiosity. The boy reportedly managed to slip into the airport in Kabul, follow a group of passengers, and hide in the rear wheel well of Kam Air flight RQ-4401, which landed in Delhi around 11:10 a.m. local time (05:40 GMT) on Sunday.
Indian security officers said he admitted to hiding in the aircraft’s rear central landing gear compartment throughout the journey. During safety inspections, airline staff also discovered a small red speaker the boy had been carrying with him.
Mistaken Destination
Reports from The Indian Express revealed that the teenager’s intended destination was Iran, not India. He had apparently been unaware that the plane he boarded was bound for Delhi, not Tehran.
The Risks of Stowaway Flights
Cases of stowaways hiding in aircraft landing gear have been reported globally, often involving people desperate to escape conflict or poverty. However, very few survive the extreme conditions. At high altitudes, temperatures can plummet to below -50°C, and oxygen levels are dangerously low. Survivors often lose consciousness during the flight and face the risk of falling when the landing gear is lowered before landing.
Aviation experts warn that while rare, such incidents highlight both the desperation and the dangers faced by those attempting to flee difficult circumstances.