Mangalore: Air Crash Survivor Looks Ahead with Hope
Stanley Pinto - Times of India, Mangalore
MANGALORE, Jul 13 : The only trauma the survivor of Air India Boeing crash of May 22 Abdul Ismail from Puttur faces today, is physical. He has overcome the mental trauma of the crash and gets sound sleep. "I revisit the nightmare only when somebody asks me to recall the events of that fateful day, says Ismail.
He told `TOI' that he has recovered almost 90%. "I have pain in my lower back when I travel long distance. I have been advised to wear a brace for another month by the doctor when I visited him on Saturday," said Ismail.
He and his family do not want him to go back to Dubai, where he was working as a manager at a sports shop. Ismail has applied for a job with Air India as Air India Chairman and MD Arvind Jadhav had assured the survivors of employment. "I have not received any reply from them, he said.
Ismail used to earn close to Rs 50,000 a month (Dirham 4,000) at Dubai. "I know I cannot expect such a salary here. But I will take up any job, suitable for my qualification," says Ismail, who has not completed his pre-university studies.
He left for Dubai six years back and all his earnings were spent on clearing sundry debts he had incurred, including a loan he had taken for his wedding three years ago.
Ismail, now 36, had worked as a salesman in a furniture shop here before leaving to Dubai for better prospects. He has to support his family, comprising his parents, Ismail and Khadija, wife Sajida, daughter Shaima (2). His younger brother Mohammed Thaha, and elder brother Abdul Jabber, who work in Puttur, live with him. "Preferably I want a job in Mangalore. Even Bangalore will do, he says.
Right now the interim compensation of Rs 2 lakh from Air India and PMRY relief fund of Rs 50,000 is seeing him through in these difficult times. The state government's promised compensation of Rs 50,000 has not come through yet.
In the meantime, he got his passport and driving licence done afresh. "AI CMD had said that I need a passport first to have proof of residence. So I got it done soon, he said.
From the personal effects retrieved from the crash site by Kenyon International, a US-based international disaster management agency, he got only his cheque book and pass book.
His luggage which comprised of dresses for family, toys and chocolates for the child has not been retrieved. "I did not have any valuables like ornaments, barring my work documents, voter ID etc," Ismail noted.
Meanwhile, AI general manager (quality management system) Harpreet De Singh said that they have received applications from survivors and they are being processed by the human resources department.
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