Afghan Teen Hides in Plane’s Landing Gear, Survives Flight to Delhi
A 13-year-old Afghan boy survived a Kabul-to-Delhi flight by hiding in an aircraft’s landing gear. His survival shocked experts and exposed security gaps at Kabul airport.
Afghan Teen Survives 90-Minute Flight Hidden in Aircraft’s Landing Gear
A shocking incident took place in Delhi on 21st September 2025 when a 13-year-old Afghan boy survived a flight from Kabul to Delhi after hiding in the landing gear compartment of a KAM Air aircraft.
The flight, KAM Air RQ-4401, departed Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport and landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at around 11 am. To everyone’s surprise, ground staff noticed the boy walking near the aircraft’s wheels after it came to a halt. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was immediately informed, and immigration authorities took the boy into custody.
The boy, from Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, revealed that he had sneaked into the airport, bypassed security, and climbed into the rear central landing gear compartment before takeoff. He admitted that he acted out of curiosity, believing the plane was heading to Iran, not India. A small red speaker belonging to him was later found in the wheel well.
Aviation experts stress that the landing gear area is unpressurized, unheated, and extremely dangerous, with low oxygen and freezing temperatures at 30,000 feet. Despite this, the boy survived the 90-minute journey and was found to be physically stable by doctors.
The boy was sent back to Kabul on the same flight later in the day. While survival in such cases is rare, the incident highlights both extraordinary luck and the desperation of Afghan children since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
