Afghan Teen Survives Harrowing Flight to India Hidden in Landing Gear
A 13-year-old Afghan boy miraculously survived a flight from Kabul to Delhi by stowing away in the rear landing gear compartment of a commercial aircraft. The incident has raised serious security concerns and highlighted the extreme dangers of such attempts.
The Unbelievable Journey
According to reports from the BBC, CNN, and Indian news outlets, the boy, from Kunduz city in northern Afghanistan, was discovered at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) after the KAM Airlines flight landed on a Sunday. He was reportedly found wandering on the runway in white pajamas.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detained and questioned the boy for several hours before sending him back to Kabul later that day. He allegedly told authorities he hid himself out of curiosity, according to reports. This is not independently verified by Global News.
Risks and Realities of Wheel Well Stowaways
Hiding in a plane’s wheel well presents several life-threatening risks. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notes dangers including hypoxia (low oxygen levels), hypothermia and frostbite due to extremely cold temperatures at high altitudes, and the risk of falling when the landing gear retracts. The act of hiding there poses a significant risk to life.
A 2011 FAA study found that approximately 80 per cent of people who stow away in plane wheel wells die due to low oxygen levels and freezing temperatures. Recent incidents highlight the frequency and deadly consequences of such attempts. For example, two people were found dead in the wheel well of a JetBlue Airways plane in Florida in January. Before this, a body was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane in Hawaii last Christmas Eve.
Security Concerns and Previous Breaches
A CISF spokesperson stated the child made the journey unnoticed. They also reported that a small audio device was recovered from the landing gear. The boy reportedly intended to fly to Tehran, Iran, mistakenly believing the flight was headed there. He allegedly snuck into Kabul airport, blended in with a group of passengers, and hid in the plane’s rear wheel well, carrying only a red speaker.
This incident follows other security breaches, including one where surveillance footage captured a Russian national boarding a flight from JFK International Airport in New York to France without proper screening. This incident, along with the case of the Afghan boy, emphasizes the need for strengthened airport security measures worldwide.