A 13-year-old Afghan boy accomplished what should have been impossible: surviving a flight from Kabul to Delhi by hiding in the landing-gear compartment of a commercial aircraft. His astonishing escape, equal parts miracle and tragedy, is not just a gripping human story. It is a piercing indictment of the world we have built ~ one where a child can risk death for the sake of escape or adventure, and where security systems meant to protect passengers can be breached by a determined teenager. The boy’s feat defies logic.

The rear wheel well of an aircraft is an unforgiving place, with temperatures plunging to sub-zero levels and oxygen levels too low to sustain consciousness. Many adults have perished in similar attempts. That a child endured the freezing cold, lack of breathable air, and the violent mechanical movements of the landing gear is nothing short of miraculous.........

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