A 13-year-old boy from Afghanistan shocked aviation staff and security authorities on Sunday after managing to travel from Kabul to Delhi concealed inside the landing gear compartment of a commercial flight. The incident came to light at around 11:00 a.m. shortly after KAM Air flight RQ-4401, an Airbus A340, landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi following a two-hour journey from Kabul.
Discovery At IGI Airport
After touchdown, the boy was seen wandering near the aircraft, drawing the attention of airline staff, who immediately alerted airport security.
He was quickly apprehended and handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The teenager, identified as a native of Kunduz, was then escorted to Terminal 3 for questioning.
Flight Timeline
According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the Airbus A340 had taken off from Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport at 8:46 a.m. IST and landed in Delhi at 10:20 a.m.
The discovery was made less than an hour later, leading to swift involvement of both airline and airport security officials.
How The Boy Boarded The Aircraft
During the inquiry, officials learned that the boy had entered Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport undetected and climbed into the rear central landing gear compartment of the aircraft. He told officials that he had mistakenly boarded the Delhi-bound flight, reportedly intending to travel elsewhere.
Authorities at IGI Airport carried out medical checks and brief questioning before arranging for his return to Kabul. The boy was repatriated on the same aircraft, which departed for Afghanistan around 12:30 p.m.
A subsequent inspection of the aircraft revealed a small red speaker believed to have been carried by the boy. Security personnel performed thorough anti-sabotage checks on the aircraft before clearing it for further operations.
How Did The Boy ‘Survive’?
The journey lasted approximately 94 minutes, during which the boy remained inside the compartment. Despite the extremely harsh conditions within the enclosed space, he was found in stable physical condition upon arrival.
He endured the 94-minute flight under harsh conditions marked by subzero temperatures, limited oxygen, and the constant danger of being crushed, yet managed to reach his destination in stable condition, as reported by The New Indian Express.
The survival has left experts stunned with aviation professionals noting that making it through such a journey in a landing gear bay is almost beyond the realm of possibility given the severe risks involved.
