13-year-old Afghan stows away in landing gear, survives 720-mile flight to Delhi

A 13-year-old boy from Kunduz, Afghanistan, survived a 720-mile flight by hiding in the rear landing gear of a Kam Air passenger jet traveling from Kabul to Delhi. He was found walking on the runway at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi after the plane landed on Monday, Indian security officials said. The boy was detained and questioned by security authorities for several hours before being returned to Kabul on the same Kam Air flight, authorities added.

Kam Air said the youth boarded flight RQ-4401 without being noticed. He reportedly found a hiding spot in the rear central landing gear compartment and remained there for the journey. During a safety check, airline staff discovered a small red audio speaker left behind by the boy. Investigators have said the boy told authorities he climbed aboard the aircraft out of curiosity and did not realize the flight’s destination would be India; he had originally spoken of traveling toward Iran. He reportedly slipped into the airport and followed behind a group of passengers before sneaking into the plane’s rear wheel well.

The incident is far from unique in aviation history, though surviving such journeys is rare. In 2021, a 16-year-old boy from Kenya survived a flight from London to Maastricht after hiding in the landing gear area of the fuselage, enduring extreme cold conditions during the trip. Officials cautioned that most stowaways who attempt to ride in undeclared undercarriage spaces do not survive the journey, with bodies and remains sometimes discovered only after landing or days later.

Earlier this year, authorities confirmed the deaths of two teenagers whose bodies were found in the landing gear of a JetBlue flight that had landed in Fort Lauderdale from New York. The names disclosed by authorities were Jeik Anilus Lusi and Elvis Borques Castillo; DNA testing months later confirmed their identities. In 2012, Jose Matada, a 26-year-old Mozambican man, died after falling from a Heathrow-bound flight that originated in Angola, with his body found on a West London street after the aircraft’s arrival.

Experts say the risks faced by stowaways are severe: exposure to subfreezing temperatures, wind shear, mechanical hazards, and the possibility of a fatal fall upon takeoff or landing. Aviation security officials have long warned that concealment in aircraft gear is dangerous and often fatal, and many governments have stepped up checks in airports and on aircraft to deter such attempts.

Authorities in India said the boy was placed under routine care and held for questioning before being returned to Kabul on the same flight. The case has prompted renewed attention on border and security protocols surrounding the intake of international flights, as well as on the humanitarian aspect for minors attempting to leave conflict zones or unstable regions.

As investigations continue, officials emphasized that small actions can have large consequences and that border control and airline staff remain vigilant about detecting unauthorized entries. While this case ended with a fortunate outcome for the child involved, it underscores a broader risk to young travelers amid ongoing instability in parts of South Asia and the Middle East.