‘My wife was shouting, ‘save me, I’m getting burnt’’

Five members of two families hailing from Gazipur were on board the US-Bangla aircraft that crashed in Nepal on Monday.

Two including a child died. Three others who escaped have been undergoing treatment at Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital.

"Everything was normal -- the cabin crew nicely announced that the plane would land shortly. It was approaching the runway for landing; But all of a sudden, it went up after failing to touch the ground," Mehedi Hasan, one of the survivors, said narrating the critical moments of plane crash that claimed lives of 49 out of 71 people on board.

"I saw through the window several aircraft waiting on the runway. Our aircraft attempted to land again... I felt jerking twice. Within moments, it hit a wall and came to a halt," he went on to say.

"The passengers started screaming. They were helpless. Some were reciting excerpts from the holy Quran; some were running to and fro.

"All of a sudden I noticed smoke and spark coming out of fire from near my legs."

"I saw my wife Syeda Kamrunnahar Shawrna screaming... She cried out, "Save me, fire is burning me up.""

"I can't recollect whether my seat belt was tied or not. I had shoes in my legs. I attempted to break and open the window with my hands and legs. I was unable to breathe in. It was as if I would be able to break the window and I could at least breathe in, but I failed."

"So far I remember, the plane caught fire in the back. In the front where the pilots were seated, a portion including door close to the pilots broke down. Defying fire and smoke, I reached that point. I found a hole and there was some light at the end. I came out following the light. I took breath and went inside again. I saw my cousin Priyok's wife Almoon Nahar Anyee coming out. I brought Anyee out and went inside again. I saw Shawrna was screaming and trying to come out."

"Fire is burning my body up," Mehedi quoted his wife as saying.

"I brought her out. I saw blood coming out from her nose and mouth. Afterwards I can't remember anything," Mehedi Hasan said as he shared his experience with this correspondent over phone from Nepal on Wednesday.

Priyok, his wife Almoon Nahar Anyee and their three-year daughter Priyonmoyee were with Mehedi Hasan. Almoon Nahar has lost her husband and daughter.

Priyok's family hailing from the village, Nagarhawla in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur, is shell-shocked at the deaths. Priyok's mother Feroza Begum has fainted time and again. The family members have been waiting to receive the bodies of their loved ones.

Priyok got married in 2012. His daughter Tamara Priyonmoyee was born on 14 September 2015.

Priyok's wife Almoon Nahar Anyee, 26, his maternal cousin Mehedi Hasan, 27 and his wife Syeda Kamrunnahar, 25, survived the deadly plane crash in the capital of the Himalayan country.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.
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