JEDDAH/TUNIS, 8 May — Egypt’s flag carrier, EgyptAir, blazed into the news again yesterday when one of its planes, a Boeing 737-500 with around 62 passengers and crew on board, crashed as it was attempting to land at Tunis airport. At least 20 people were killed.
This was the second major disaster for the airlines after an EgyptAir plane bound for Cairo from New York crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on Oct. 31, 1999, killing all 217 people on board.
Saleh Malaeka, a Saudi businessman and executive president of Al-Baraka Bank, was among the survivors.
Speaking to Arab News from his Tunis hotel, Malaeka said he escaped the crash with minor injuries. "The accident scene was horrible. The plane had broken into two pieces," he said.
"The plane crashed on a hill and there was heavy rain. We quickly ran away from the spot, fearing further explosions from the aircraft," he said. Malaeka said he also took part in the rescue operation.
"The crash occurred soon after the pilot had asked us to fasten our seatbelts."
He said he had told his mother that he had reached Tunis two hours before the crash in order to reduce her shock.
Muhammad Tawfik, who was accompanying Malaeka, also escaped with injuries to his legs.
The crash site was difficult to reach, but rescue workers managed to get to the scene to evacuate the injured.
A senior Tunisian government official said 13 passengers had been taken to hospital.
