Someone threw me out, says boy who survived China crash

BEIJING - “Someone dragged me to the emergency exit door and threw me out,” said an eight-year-old survivor of the horrific crash in China’s Heilongjiang Province that killed 42 people.

The passenger aircraft overshot the runway and burst into flame while landing at Yichun city’s Lindu airport Tuesday night, killing 42 and injuring 54 people. The Embraer E-190 jet crashed at 9.36 p.m.

Said eight-year-old Ji Yifan: “Someone dragged me to the emergency exit door and threw me out before I realized what was going on.”

The evacuation slide, which was also on fire, broke just as Ji was sliding down.

“I fell to the ground. Again someone dragged me aside,” Xinhua quoted the boy as saying.

A man who was slightly injured in the head remembered strong turbulence after the crew announced the aircraft was about to land. The plane had taken off from Harbin city.

“There were four or five bad turbulence and luggage in the overhead bin were raining down,” he said.

“Everyone panicked. Those sitting in the back began rushing to the front of the cabin.”

Recalling the horrifying crash, he said: “There was smog, which I knew was toxic. I held my breath and ran on until I saw a burning hole on one side of the cabin. I crawled out and ran at least 100 meters to ensure I was safe.”

Two of the five crew members survived the crash. The surviving crew members are the captain and an attendant.

Officials said that 18 officials from Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and its provincial branches were also on board. They were heading for a meeting in Yichun.

The jet broke into two pieces before it smashed into the ground and exploded. Most of the casualties were found in the back of the cabin.

The plane is owned by Henan Airlines.