NEW DELHI: In a startling and rare survival story, a 13-year-old Afghan boy endured a perilous flight from Kabul to Delhi while concealed in the landing gear bay of a commercial airliner.
The child, hailing from Kunduz province, miraculously survived the near 1,000-kilometre journey on board Kam Air flight RQ4401 an area of the aircraft known to be almost unsurvivable due to freezing temperatures and severe lack of oxygen.
The incident came to light early Sunday morning when airport staff at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport spotted the boy walking near the aircraft on the taxiway after landing. Security personnel quickly intervened, and the boy was taken into custody for medical attention and questioning. Later that same day, Indian authorities deported him back to Afghanistan.
Experts say that hiding inside a plane’s wheel-well is among the most dangerous methods of unauthorized travel. Known as “wheel-well stowaways,” these individuals risk death from hypoxia (lack of oxygen), frostbite, or being crushed by moving machinery. At cruising altitudes above 30,000 feet, temperatures can drop to -50°C (-58°F), making survival rare and often miraculous.
In this boy’s case, the flight duration of roughly 90 minutes may have increased his odds of survival. Despite the grave dangers, he managed to avoid fatal outcomes that have claimed the lives of many attempting similar escapes.
Authorities believe the boy slipped past security at Kabul International Airport and climbed into the rear central undercarriage of the aircraft. The mechanics of the Kam Air jet allowed him just enough space to hidean act that went unnoticed during standard pre-flight inspections.
Upon landing, his sudden appearance on the runway stunned ground staff, who acted promptly to ensure his safety. After verifying his identity and determining he posed no threat, officials arranged for his return to Kabul.
While rare, wheel-well stowaways have been documented in multiple countries over the years, often ending in tragedy. In January 2024, two men were found dead in the undercarriage of a JetBlue flight arriving in Florida from the Dominican Republic. Just a month earlier, an Algerian teenager nearly died on a flight to Paris under similar circumstances.
There have also been isolated cases of survival like in 2021, when a Guatemalan man shockingly lived through a flight to Miami. These cases, however, are exceptions rather than the rule.
Beyond Borders: A Humanitarian Perspective. Incidents like this reflect not only serious security lapses at airports but also the extreme conditions under which vulnerable individuals, especially minors, make desperate decisions. Behind every wheel-well stowaway is often a story of poverty, conflict, or fear.
This case is a sobering reminder for governments and international bodies to go beyond enforcement and address the root causes that compel children to risk their lives. While airport and aviation safety must remain a priority, this tragic-yet-hopeful incident underscores the need for compassionate, long-term policy responses to migration and child welfare.
