13-Year-Old Afghan Boy Survives Kam Air Landing Gear Flight Kabul-Delhi

A 13-year-old Afghan boy miraculously survived a 620-mile flight hidden in the rear wheel well of a Kam Air plane traveling from Kabul to New Delhi, India. The boy, from Kunduz, mistakenly believed the flight was heading to Tehran, Iran, and reportedly undertook the dangerous journey out of curiosity. After landing, he was spotted walking alone on the tarmac in pajamas, which led to his detention and questioning by airport security and immigration officials. Despite the extreme risks of hypoxia and freezing temperatures typical of unpressurized landing gear compartments, the boy survived without serious injury and was sent back to Afghanistan on the same plane, this time as a seated passenger. Authorities also found a small red audio speaker in the landing gear area, which the boy had taken with him. This rare survival contrasts with a 77% mortality rate among stowaways in landing gear due to the harsh conditions at cruising altitudes.