A 13-year-old Afghan boy flew from Kabul to Delhi after hiding in the landing gear compartment of a KAM Air flight, Indian media reported Monday.
The boy, identified as a resident of Kunduz city in northern Afghanistan, was discovered after the aircraft landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport around 11 a.m., following a two-hour journey, according to Press Trust of India.
Officials said the teenager managed to enter the restricted area of Kabul airport and hid inside the rear central landing gear compartment of KAM Air flight RQ-4401. After landing, airline personnel spotted him near the aircraft and alerted airport security.
He was handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force and taken to Terminal 3 for questioning, PTI reported. During the initial inquiry, the boy said he boarded the aircraft out of curiosity without realizing the risks.
The teenager was repatriated to Afghanistan on the same aircraft when it departed Delhi around 12:30 p.m., officials told PTI.
Security personnel from KAM Air inspected the landing gear compartment and found a small red speaker believed to belong to the boy. After anti-sabotage checks, the aircraft was declared safe, the reports said.
