Something you never thought would happen!

[juneau]

MOSCOW, September 24 (RIA Novosti) - A 15-year-old boy from the Urals suffered acute frostbite after riding the wing of a Boeing-737 plane on a two-hour flight from Perm to Moscow, Russian radio station Mayak reported on Monday.

After clinging on for the entire 1300-kilometer (808-mile) flight to Vnukova Airport, the boy, named Andrei, collapsed onto the tarmac. His arms and legs were so severely frozen that rescuers were at first unable to remove his coat and shoes, the radio station said.

The airport did not confirm the report. "We have no information on this," the Vnukovo press service told RIA Novosti.

However, Moscow's air and water transport control department said the radio's claim was true. A department spokesman said the incident occurred on Friday, and that the boy's parents were immediately informed, and flew to the capital the same day.

Doctors said it was nothing short of a miracle that Andrei survived the flight, with temperatures hitting minus 50 degrees Celsius (-58 Fahrenheit), the radio station said. The Boeing-737 has a cruising speed of 900 kmh (560 mph).

The boy reportedly made the journey after a commonplace domestic dispute. Angry with his father, who reportedly has a drinking problem, and with his mother for siding with her husband in family rows, Andrei ran away to the neighboring village, where his grandmother lives. On reaching the village, he decided to go on, and hitched a 220-km (137-mile) ride to the regional center, Perm, where he was dropped off at the airport.

It remains unclear how Andrei was able to climb on a plane wing un-noticed, and the Perm Airport security service is being asked some serious questions, the radio station said.

Andrei is now being treated in a Moscow hospital, Radio Mayak said.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :D :D :D :D :D

[{CLR}geneSW]

hoax. There are so many factors involved that make this impossible that it's not even funny. Sorry to ruin the fun, but part of that "story" says it was true. had to debunk it.

[juneau]

Damn! :(

edit: Actually it seems that it isn't. There's more to the story.

I sneaked in and approached a big plane . It was already dark and no one saw me. I didn?t know what to do next. Eventually, I decided to climb up the landing gear into the wing. When I was in, I sat down there on a tire and fell asleep,? the boy said.

The boy woke up when the plane was already flying. It is not clear how technicians inspected the jetliner before the takeoff, but they found nothing suspicious.

?I got so scared and fainted. I don?t remember what was happening afterwards. They told me later that I had spent about two hours at the height of 10,000 meters at very low temperatures. I came to my senses again when the plane had already landed. I got down on the runway and collapsed. I could not control my legs and it was very cold,? the boy said.

The plane landed in Moscow?s Vnukovo airport. Employees saw the teenager falling down on the ground from the hull of the plane. The boy was hospitalized in half-conscience state. When at the hospital, the ?passenger? was constantly saying that his hands were burning. Andrey?s swollen hands did not make it an easy task for the doctors to take off his jacket.

http://newsfromrussia.com/society/stories/25-09-2007/97676-boeing-0

It would appear the poor lad is going to lose his hands.

[RobotBanana]

IN the wing or ON the wing?

I'm by no means a flight expert, but wouldn't it be hard (ok, impossible) to breathe at that altitude? I'm also not a doctor, but wouldn't two hours without being able to breathe kill you?... :? :shock:

[juneau]

It would appear that he was in the wing and/or above the wheels.

[TheSilentAssassin]

How did he survive without oxygen...?

[juneau]

How did he survive without oxygen...?

I'm not sure. Would the limited supply in the undercarriage last 1 person?

[TheSilentAssassin]

I thought he was actually in the wing, if he was in the cargo hold, there would be oxygen, but it would be very cold

[juneau]

I thought he was actually in the wing, if he was in the cargo hold, there would be oxygen, but it would be very cold

That's a good point. It would seem from the new report that he was in the wing and flying at 10,000ft. Maybe the fact that he fainted helped him due to his body not consuming as much oxygen.

It was a silly idea but i hope he doesn't lose his hands.

[BenKenobi]

sheesh man that guy is crazy......

[BlackArrow]

I have been to Perm, the city that he was fleeing, i can understand why he would want to leave. It is an absolute pit.