“After it landed on the runway, I felt it was slipping into a gutter. Suddenly, I lost consciousness. When I became conscious I could hear people talking..I understood that it was rescue workers..I am thankful to a lot of people..to God," seated in a wheelchair at the Aster MIMS Hospital in Kozhikode, Noufal recalled that dreadful night of August, which took the lives of 21 of his co-passengers. Noufal is one of the survivors of the Karipur air crash and the last to get discharged after suffering grievous injuries. On Saturday, this 36-year-old Wayanad native got discharged from Aster MIMS after over 70 days of rigorous treatment in the hospital.
As the hospital staff helped Noufal, who now moves with the help of a wheelchair, into a car, he waved at everyone along with his wife and son, probably happy to finally leave to his house, surviving the tragic air crash.
From the moment Noufal was brought into the hospital, he was in a critical condition. He had head and spine injuries, fractures in both legs, serious injuries on the back which even revealed his spinal cord. After being treated in emergency medicine and critical care, he had to undergo various surgeries for head injury and spine damage over the course of two months.
On August 7 night an Air India Express flight from Dubai to Kerala crashed at the runway of the Calicut International Airport right after it landed. The aircraft which slipped into a slope broke off into two, taking the lives of many including the pilots, on the spot. The flight was part of the Vande Bharat Mission of the Union Government to bring in expats who were stranded due to COVID-19.
While many escaped uninjured, 18 people lost their lives on the spot and three others died while undergoing treatment.
Noufal was one of the passengers who had suffered life threatening injuries. According to hospital officials, he will need continuous treatment which will be handled in MIMS itself. Reportedly, the cost of his treatment has been covered by the Air India Express officials.
On Saturday, parts of the debris of the aircraft was removed from the spot by the airport authorities. Officials have stated that it will be checked for further investigation.