A 13-year-old boy from Afghanistan was found hiding in the landing gear compartment of a Kabul–Delhi flight on Sunday, in a case that has raised serious concerns over aviation security. The teenager, identified as a resident of Kunduz city, managed to survive the nearly two-hour journey at an altitude of more than 36,000 feet before being apprehended at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
According to officials, the boy had boarded KAM Air’s flight RQ-4401 by sneaking into its rear central landing gear at Kabul airport. The flight landed in Delhi around 11 a.m., and after touchdown, airline staff spotted the boy roaming near the aircraft. The incident was immediately reported to airport security, and the child was taken into custody.
He was first detained by KAM Air personnel and later handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Terminal 3 for questioning. During interrogation, the teenager reportedly said his act was driven by “curiosity.” He explained that he had found a way into the airport in Kabul and concealed himself inside the landing gear compartment before departure.
Despite the life-threatening conditions of extreme cold, lack of oxygen, and high altitude, the boy miraculously survived the journey. Security officials later recovered a small red speaker, believed to belong to him, from the aircraft compartment.
After a brief investigation, authorities decided to deport him immediately. The boy was sent back to Kabul on the same KAM Air flight, which departed from Delhi around 12:30 p.m.
Following the incident, KAM Air security personnel conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft, including anti-sabotage checks, before declaring it safe for operations.
The episode has prompted questions about airport security in Kabul, particularly how a minor was able to access a restricted area and hide in such a dangerous part of the aircraft. Stowaway cases, though rare, have been reported in different parts of the world, with many resulting in fatalities due to the harsh conditions inside landing gear compartments. In this case, officials noted, the Afghan teenager was extremely fortunate to have survived.
