A 13-year-old Afghan boy shocked aviation authorities after he managed to travel from Kabul to Delhi by hiding inside the landing gear compartment of a KAM Air flight. The incident occurred on Sunday, September 21, when flight number RQ-4401 landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport around 11 am after a two-hour journey, official sources said.
The boy, a native of Kunduz city, was found wandering near the aircraft shortly after landing. Airline personnel apprehended him and handed him over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who brought him to Terminal 3 for questioning.
During interrogation, the teenager admitted that he sneaked into Kabul airport and entered the rear central landing gear compartment of the aircraft purely out of “curiosity.” He carried a small red-coloured speaker with him, which was later recovered during a security check.
After thorough inspection and anti-sabotage checks, the aircraft was declared safe. The boy was repatriated to Afghanistan on the same flight, which departed from Delhi at 12:30 pm on Sunday.
Authorities said the incident has raised serious concerns about airport security in Kabul, as such stowaway attempts are extremely risky due to oxygen scarcity and freezing temperatures at high altitudes.
