13-yr-old Afghan boy survives flight to Delhi hidden in plane’s landing gear

New Delhi: A 13-year-old Afghan boy’s curiosity led him from Afghanistan to Delhi after he reportedly hid inside the landing gear compartment of an aircraft that took off from Kabul, official sources said on Monday.

The incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Sunday when KAM Airlines flight RQ-4401 touched down at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport following a two-hour journey. The teenager was repatriated to Afghanistan on the same flight later that day, sources added.

Airport security was alerted by airline authorities, who reported a 13-year-old boy roaming near the aircraft after it landed. The boy, a native of Kunduz city, was apprehended by airline personnel and handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who escorted him to Terminal 3 for questioning.

During questioning, the boy revealed that he had sneaked into Kabul airport and managed to climb into the rear central landing gear compartment of the aircraft, reportedly out of curiosity, according to officials.

After the interview, the Afghan boy was sent back on the same flight, which departed around 12:30 p.m. Security personnel conducted a thorough check of the landing gear compartment and found a small red-coloured speaker, believed to have been carried by the boy.

The aircraft was declared safe following comprehensive inspections and anti-sabotage checks.

With PTI inputs