Survivor unaware of plane crash

Survivor unaware of plane crash

TARAKAN, East Kalimantan: International safety procedures
during flight require aircraft passengers to wear seat belts.

In perhaps a one-in-a-million case, going against the rule
saved the life of a youth who claims he survived a plane crash
because he defied the ruling, albeit unintentionally.

Bangau Samuel, 20, told Antara on Thursday that he had
unfastened his seat belt before falling asleep when the Britten
Norman aircraft carrying him and nine other people crashed atop a
mountain eight kilometers from its destination in the East
Kalimantan district of Long Bawan on Tuesday last week.

"When I woke up, I was surprised to find that I was in the
jungle. Parts of my body were sore, but I didn't realize what had
happened. I didn't even know the plane had crashed and how I had
gotten out of the aircraft," he recalled.

Bangau's experience appears to resemble a jet fighter pilot
who ejects from his aircraft to survive.

A farmer in Pa Padi village found a weak and starving Bangau
on Monday.

A rescue team declared all the people aboard dead, including
Bangau's father Yuni Samuel. Many have questioned the capability
of the national search and rescue body following the reappearance
of Bangau, who has avoid filling the grave provided for him.