A 13-year-old Afghan boy survived a perilous stowaway attempt by hiding in the landing gear compartment of Kam Air flight RQ4401 from Kabul to Delhi (Airbus A340-300 reg. YA-KME).
The boy, from Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, was discovered wandering the runway at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after the plane landed on Sunday morning. He was detained and questioned by India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) before being returned to Kabul on the same aircraft.
Authorities said the boy had trailed passengers into Kabul airport and concealed himself in the aircraft’s rear wheel well. He told police he intended to reach Iran and boarded the wrong flight. His only possession was a small red audio speaker found during post-flight inspections.
Aviation experts note survival in wheel wells is extremely rare due to freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen at cruising altitude. Survivors often lose consciousness and risk falling when the landing gear is deployed.
The incident highlights ongoing airport security vulnerabilities, as well as the desperation of stowaways seeking to flee unstable regions.