A teenager survived a flight from Kabul to Delhi by hiding inside the landing gear compartment of an A340 aircraft.
A 13-year-old boy, reportedly from Kunduz city, was discovered wandering alone on the runway at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after a Kam Air flight RQ4401 landed around 11:10 a.m. local time (05:40 GMT) on Sunday.
The Airbus A340-300 (registration YA-KMH) climbed to 35,000 feet over Pakistan during the flight of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Temperatures at cruising altitude can plunge below -50°C, and oxygen levels become critically low. Many stowaways lose consciousness and risk falling to their deaths when the landing gear extends before landing.
While there have been rare cases of individuals surviving similar flights (especially on long-haul routes to Europe or the United States) most such attempts are fatal.
Intended Destination Was Iran, Not Delhi
Indian media, including The Indian Express, reported that the boy originally intended to reach Iran and did not realize the aircraft he boarded was headed for Delhi. He had apparently sneaked into Kabul airport by following a group of passengers before slipping into the landing gear bay.
According to security sources, the teenager told investigators he had climbed into the rear central wheel well of the Kam Air jet simply “out of curiosity.” The boy appeared to have little understanding of the risks involved in his journey. When searched, the only item he was found carrying was a small red audio speaker.
Detained and Sent Back to Kabul
Airport security personnel from India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detained the child and questioned him for several hours. Officials later arranged for his return to Kabul on the same aircraft.
