In a story that sounds almost too incredible to be true, a 13-year-old Afghan boy survived a perilous journey from Kabul to New Delhi by hiding in the rear wheel well of a commercial Kam Air passenger plane. The incident, which unfolded on September 21, 2025, has stunned aviation experts and officials alike, not only for the boy's survival but also for the light it sheds on the desperate and dangerous lengths some individuals will go to in search of a new life—or, in this case, perhaps just out of curiosity.
According to reports from The Indian Express, BBC, and CNN, the teenager, a resident of Kunduz city in Afghanistan, managed to sneak into Kabul airport early Sunday morning. He followed passengers through the bustling terminal, slipping past security and ground staff unnoticed. His intended destination was not New Delhi, but Iran; tragically, he mistook the Delhi-bound Kam Air flight RQ-4401 for one heading to Tehran. Driven by what he later described as "curiosity," the boy climbed into the rear central landing gear compartment of the aircraft, wedging himself tightly in the confined space as the plane prepared for takeoff.
The risks he faced were nothing short of life-threatening. As the aircraft sped down the runway and the wheels retracted, the heat from the tires melted his shoes. Once airborne, the compartment became a chamber of hazards: unpressurized, unheated, and starved of oxygen. Temperatures at 30,000 to 40,000 feet can plummet well below freezing, and the oxygen level drops so dramatically that hypothermia and unconsciousness are almost inevitable. The boy reportedly used his clothes to shield himself from the cold, curling up as tightly as possible to retain warmth during the hour-and-a-half flight.
Stowing away in a plane’s landing gear is a notoriously deadly gamble. Data from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), cited by The Indian Express and CNN, reveals that between 1947 and 2021, at least 132 people attempted such journeys. The survival rate is bleak: an estimated 77% of stowaways perish due to hypothermia, asphyxiation, or crushing injuries as the landing gear retracts and deploys. In one tragic case in 1996, two Indian men attempted to stow away in the wheel well of a British Airways flight from Delhi to London; only one survived the ordeal.
Despite these odds, the Afghan teenager survived. The Kam Air flight touched down at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at around 10:20 a.m. local time. As ground crews approached the aircraft, they noticed something unusual: a boy, barefoot and dressed in pajamas, wandering the tarmac near the plane. He appeared disoriented but otherwise unharmed—a minor miracle given the circumstances. Airport staff quickly alerted the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who detained the boy and escorted him to Terminal 3 for questioning.
“Upon inquiry, it turned out that he hid in the rear central landing gear compartment (rear wheel well) of the aircraft. He is from Kunduz city, Afghanistan,” the CISF confirmed in a statement reported by The Indian Express. Security and engineering teams from Kam Air conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft, during which they discovered a small red-colored audio speaker in the landing gear compartment—apparently carried by the boy during his journey. After anti-sabotage checks, the plane was declared safe for further operations.
The boy’s ordeal did not end on the tarmac. He was handed over to immigration officials for detailed questioning, where he explained that he had intended to travel to Iran, not India. After several hours in custody, and with no legal grounds to remain in India, authorities arranged for his repatriation. He was sent back to Kabul on the same Kam Air flight later that afternoon—an outcome that, while perhaps disappointing for the boy, likely saved his life by preventing another reckless escape attempt.
Experts interviewed by Mathrubhumi and PEOPLE emphasized just how lethal these stowaway journeys can be. The landing gear compartment is not designed to accommodate human life. The space is cramped and mechanical, with moving parts that can crush or trap anyone inside. During flight, the lack of pressurization and heating causes temperatures to fall rapidly, making hypothermia a near certainty. The reduced oxygen levels at cruising altitude can quickly lead to unconsciousness and, in many cases, death. “Such journeys are notoriously deadly,” experts warned, noting that the vast majority of stowaways do not survive to tell their tale.
Despite these dangers, desperate individuals—often fleeing conflict, poverty, or persecution—continue to attempt such risky escapes. The boy’s case, while extraordinary, is not entirely unique. The FAA’s data on wheel-well stowaways serves as a grim reminder of the perils faced by those who see no other option. The story also echoes the tragic events of August 2021, when several Afghans clung to the outside of departing US military planes during the chaotic evacuation of Kabul, with fatal consequences.
Security officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport have since reviewed protocols to prevent similar incidents. The ability of a 13-year-old to breach airport security and access a commercial jet’s landing gear has raised serious questions about ground safety procedures in both Kabul and Delhi. Authorities have not released the boy’s name, citing his age and privacy concerns, but confirmed his return to Afghanistan. The incident has prompted calls for greater vigilance and improved security measures at airports across the region.
For the young stowaway, his journey ended with a safe—if unintended—return home. For the aviation industry, however, the episode is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that persist, both on the ground and in the air. As officials work to close security gaps and educate the public about the dangers of such attempts, the hope is that stories like this will become even rarer in the future.
The boy’s survival against the odds may seem miraculous, but it is also a sobering testament to the risks that desperation and curiosity can drive people to take. His story, now making headlines around the world, stands as both a cautionary tale and a call to action for safer, more secure skies.