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BOY-SURVIVES-PLANE-CRASH-AUSTRALIA
12-year-old boy survives plane crash before explosion in Australia
SYDNEY, Aug. 14, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – A 12-year-old boy has emerged the
sole survivor of a light aircraft crash in western Australia’s West Papua
which killed eight others after the boy’s father jumped from the Swiss-made
Pilatus PC-6 Porter with him in his arms moments before impact.
“As the plane was falling to the ground, his father embraced him and then
they jumped,” the boy’s uncle told local media Tuesday.
“The father hit his head on a rock and was killed while (the boy) was
knocked out.”
The crash occurred in the Oksibil district of West Papua on Saturday when,
according to media reports, the plane entered a dark cloud and came out onto
a cliff.
This triggered the emergency alarm and prompted the father of the boy to
exit the plane with his son in his arms, saving his life.
After the incident, when the boy regained consciousness, he crawled back
inside the aircraft where he was rescued early on Sunday.
When he arrived at hospital the boy’s condition was stable with only a
minor injury to his right hand, a doctor said.
“He arrived at the hospital in a stable hemodynamic condition,” hospital
head Heri Budiono said. “He has no serious bleeding, just a few (minor)
injuries.”
The bodies of all eight victims have been recovered from the crash site
and will be returned to their families.
BSS/Xinhua/MSY/1145 hrs