One falls out of wheel well on takeoff, second boy nearly freezes

On Thursday, two Chinese teenagers, age 13 and 14, who had recently escaped from a home for runaway children located in the Chinese province of Hunan, decided to stow away in the wheel well of a Sichuan Airlines A320 departing Kunming on its way to Chongqing.

Unfortunately, the unidentified 13 year old fell out of the well during takeoff and died. The other one, identified as Liang Kailong, managed to survive the hour-long flight at temperatures as low as -22 degrees Farenheit and was found hanging on to a hose after the aircraft landed at its destination.

No one knows how the boy was able to survive the exposure and hypoxia. He was immediately hospitalized and his condition is described as fair. The only immediate danger to his health appears to be the possibility that he will lose his hearing.

According to Asia-Pacific AP, an officer at the Chongqing airport police station confirmed that the incident had in fact taken place, but would not give out any further details. All other parties involved, including the hospital and the management of the departure and arrival airports, would comment.

No one could describe how the boys managed to get access to the aircraft on the ramp. The surviving boy has not told authorities why they stowed away inside the Airbus jet.

FMI: www.scal.com.cn/english/e_index.asp