MALAPPURAM: Naufal Mon Vettan, a native of Thirunavaya in Malappuram, who missed the ill-fated Boeing 737 flight on August 7 last year, is back in Kerala to be with his wife and three kids -- coincidentally when the country is observing the first anniversary of the crash that killed 21 people including the two pilots.This is the first time that the 39-year-old has taken a flight ever since that mishap at the Kozhikode airport.
Though Naufal reached the Dubai airport to board the flight to Kozhikode on this day last year, the emigration officials told him that his visa had expired and he needed to pay another 1,200 dirhams to proceed. “I tried to get the money from someone at the airport itself so that I could take the flight to Kerala. But by then, the flight took off and I returned to my room,” he said.
Naufal knows it was a lucky escape and he thanks the almighty for having given him a second chance in life. “My seat number was 5 F, which is in the front part of the plane. If you remember, it was the front part that broke into two in the accident. Most of the victims were those seated in the front portion,” Naufal told TNIE over the phone from his home in Pattanakadavu, adding, he now believes God has a plan for him.
Naufal was returning home after he lost his job last year. But after learning about his lucky escape, the Athena Education in Dubai rehired him with a salary hike and he stayed back. He said he’ll always be thankful to V N P Raj, founder and chairman, Athena Foundation and his wife Sasikala Raj, who’s also the general manager and the board advisor of Athena Foundation. “Both Raj sir and Sasikala ma’am have been extremely kind to me and helpful. During the difficult times they accommodated me and gave a salary hike,” he said.