2 Punjab brothers, 1 survival story: The 1996 stowaway incident that shook the world

Just yesterday, a 13-year-old Afghan boy was discovered at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after hiding in the landing gear compartment of a Kam Air flight from Kabul.

This, however, is not an isolated incident.

In a similar, yet more harrowing incident in 1996, two brothers, Pardeep Saini and Vijay — from Punjab — attempted to stow away on a British Airways plane to enter the UK. Hidden in the wheel bay of the Boeing 747, they braved extreme conditions. The 10-hour flight was a test of endurance, with temperatures plummeting to -60°C and oxygen levels dwindling at 40,000 feet.

Once in the air, the thunderous jet engines drowned out any chance of communication, while the freezing temperatures sent their heart rates into a downward spiral.

The desperate bid for freedom

The brothers fled India after being accused of links to a Sikh militant group fighting for independence. Desperate for a new life, they turned to a people smuggler who promised them passage to Britain for £150. However, the smuggler's misinformation about accessing the luggage compartment from the wheel bay proved disastrous.

Tragically, Vijay succumbed to the extreme conditions, dying "probably before the first drinks were served." His body fell 2,000 feet to the ground as the plane's gears opened for landing and was recovered five days later in Surrey.

Pardeep, however, miraculously survived, despite suffering severe hypothermia.

After a lengthy legal battle, Pardeep was allowed to stay in the UK.

He eventually rebuilt his life, married and had two sons.