In a rare survival story, a 13-year-old Afghan boy, identified as Faizal from Kunduz province, was found alive inside the landing gear compartment of a Kam Air flight from Kabul to New Delhi on September 21.
The extraordinary case came to light when airport officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport discovered the boy after the aircraft, Kam Air flight RQ-4401, landed safely. Dressed in a brown Patani suit and black coat, he carried nothing but a small red audio speaker. His photograph, taken by airport staff, has since gone viral on social media.
Authorities revealed that Faizal had slipped past security at Kabul airport and hidden inside the wheel bay of the Delhi-bound aircraft, mistakenly believing the flight was headed to Tehran, Iran.
The boy endured a perilous journey of nearly 90 minutes, covering more than 1,000 km in conditions described by aviation experts as “virtually unsurvivable.” At cruising altitudes, temperatures in the compartment can plunge to –50°C, oxygen levels fall dangerously low, and there is the constant risk of being crushed by the landing gear mechanism.
When questioned, Faizal reportedly admitted that his decision was driven by sheer curiosity. Officials said his survival was “nothing short of miraculous,” stressing that most stowaways attempting such journeys do not make it.
After being rescued and medically examined, the boy was placed under security custody. He was later deported back to Kabul the same day on Kam Air return flight RQ-4402.
The incident has raised serious concerns about security lapses at Kabul airport and highlighted the desperate—and often deadly—measures individuals are willing to take to leave conflict-stricken Afghanistan.
