I heard the shrieks of co-passengers: crash survivor

MANGALORE - “I saw the flight catching fire and heard the shrieks of my co-passengers inside the aircraft,” said Krishnan, who survived by escaping through a gap in the broken Air India Express aircraft seconds after it crashed in Mangalore Saturday.

Krishnan, a Keralite, said the aircraft shook as it lost one of its tyres immediately after the landing.

“The moment I felt the unnatural movement of the flight, it turned turtle and hit an object like a tree. I looked upward when sunshine hit my eyes and I saw a gap in the aircraft, which was broken,” Krishnan said.

He said he removed the seat belt immediately and jumped out through the gap. “I felt that I was in a forest. I along with four others who also jumped out ran away,” narrated Krishnan, who was admitted to a Mangalore hospital.

“I submit everything to god,” Krishnan said.