13 Year Old Stowaway Found in the Landing Gear of Kabul-Delhi Flight

On Sunday, September 21, a 13-year-old Afghan boy miraculously survived a near-fatal ordeal. During a flight from Kabul to Delhi, the teenager was found hiding inside the aircraft’s landing gear, a position where survival is almost impossible due to freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen at altitude. Upon arrival at Delhi Airport, airline ground staff discovered and detained him. The shocking incident has raised serious questions about security lapses at Kabul Airport and how the boy managed to access a departing aircraft undetected.

The youngster was turned over to India's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) by the airline employees. When questioned, he revealed how and why he was able to board the KAM Air Airbus A340-300. Unaware that this flight was headed for New Delhi, the boy told authorities he wanted to travel to Tehran. According to the CISF statement, he did so out of "curiosity" and was unaware of the risks involved in traveling within the landing gear. Authorities sent him back on the same aircraft after concluding he was innocent.

The Afghan boy moved between a group of people boarding the plane after sneaking beyond the restricted area, according to government sources. Unnoticed, he entered the landing gear section.

It is nearly impossible to survive a flight between aircraft wheels. High pressure systems on the Airbus A340-300 could have crushed his body, considering its massive landing gear and powerful hydraulic systems. Additionally, the aircraft cruised at 35,000 feet with average temperatures of -50 °C (-58 °F). Even worse, when hypoxia occurs due to low oxygen levels, a person could become unconscious and fall out of the sky when the landing gear is extended.

The official report does not convey how the passenger survived, but it is presumed that it may have been because of early unconsciousness (during climb). Once unconscious, metabolic rate and oxygen demand fall, increasing the chances of survival during prolonged hypoxia. Medical conditions prove that cold acts more slowly on an unconscious body.

According to FAA and ICAO records, 113 stowaway attempts in wheel wells are known to exist. Only 27 of those 113 survived, representing a mere 24% survival rate. Since most people fall when the gear extends, the actual numbers could be very high. The majority of survivors are in their teens or early twenties, and in the majority of documented cases, survival was the result of early unconsciousness.