On a chilly morning in September 2025, Faizal, a boy from Kunduz, Afghanistan, embarked on a perilous 335 km journey to Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. His audacious plan? To sneak onto a plane, hoping it would take him to Iran. In the pre-dawn darkness, dressed like an ordinary passenger, he slipped past rudimentary Taliban security, whose lack of sophisticated screening was a stark contrast to international standards. He noticed a Cam Air flight, an Airbus A330, preparing for takeoff. Believing it was headed for Iran, Faizal stealthily climbed into the rear central landing gear compartment – a confined, dark space, about 6 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, designed for the plane's retracting wheels, not human passengers. At 8:46 AM, the plane took off, carrying 346 passengers and one extraordinary stowaway.
During the 94-minute flight, the landing gear wheels, scorching from takeoff, retracted, melting Faizal's shoes. The plane soared to altitudes of 30,000 to 40,000 feet, where temperatures plummet to a deadly -40°C to -60°C, and oxygen levels drop so severely that unconsciousness or death usually occurs within minutes. Yet, Faizal, clutching his jacket, endured it all, earning him the title of "Miracle Boy." When the plane landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 10:20 AM, Faizal, disoriented but alive, was discovered wandering on the restricted runway. Unable to speak Hindi or English, his story was eventually pieced together with the help of the Afghan crew. He claimed it was "curiosity" that drove him. Security agencies were stunned – how did a 13-year-old know about landing gear compartments and survive such extreme conditions? After a thorough investigation confirmed his identity and lack of criminal intent, Faizal was given a proper seat and flown back to Kabul that very evening.
Faizal's survival is a rare exception to a tragically common, deadly phenomenon. Data from 1947 to 2021 reveals 132 attempts to stow away in landing gear, with a shocking 76-77% fatality rate due to extreme cold, lack of oxygen, or the crushing force of the landing gear. Experts suggest Faizal might have survived due to a partially pressurized space within the compartment, residual heat from hydraulic lines and wheels, and the relatively short 94-minute flight. Younger individuals are also known to tolerate extreme cold better. This incredible incident not only highlighted a young boy's desperate resilience but also exposed glaring vulnerabilities in aviation security at Kabul Airport, serving as a critical wake-up call for authorities.
