PALO ALTO, California - Filipino couple Ruben and Belen Vallero recounted their experience on board Asiana Airlines Flight 214, which crashed onto the San Francisco International Airport runway on Saturday.
"We heard a big explosion at the back. That's when we realized we were really in trouble... Hiyawan, iyakan, sigawan...yon lang madidinig mo," Ruben said.
"Kala ko mamamatay na kaming dalawa. We were not getting out of there alive," Belen added.
They managed to take videos on their phones. The Valleros saw parts of the roof and some bags falling on the passengers, followed by smoke.
As the smoke thickened, people started to panic. They rushed to exit the plane.
"Kumapit ako sa kanya. Nagpunta kami doon sa slide," Belen recalled.
The plane crash left the 69-year-old Ruben with two cracked ribs and a lacerated liver, while 71-year-old Belen has bruises all over her back and also suffered from liver injuries.
Officials from the Philippine Consulate visited the couple before they were discharged from Stanford Medical Center.
"The relatives back home might be worried about their condition so we just wanted to make sure that they get the correct information," Jaimon Ascalon, deputy consul general, said.
Ascalon said they also went to Crown Plaza Hotel to find out the condition of Maricel Anino-Knaus, a 38-year-old Filipina, and her two young sons, who were also among those who survived the crash.
He said the Knaus family has left for Colorado, where they live.
Maricel's sister-in-law from Cebu said they had to travel by car because the children were scared to fly. "Marami silang sugat, mga bruises, tapos trauma. Grabe daw ang trauma," Maria Lourdes Anino said.
But Ruben and Belen, a retired couple from New Castle, California, do not want to live in fear. They visit the Philippines every two years and say they won't hesitate to fly back there, even on another Asiana flight.
"Given time, we'll be okay... Basta kasama ko siya," she said.
The couple said Asiana has reached out to them and assured them that all their medical expenses will be covered by the airline.
For now, they said they are not thinking of taking legal action against Asiana. They just want to know the real reason behind the crash that has devastated so many lives.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
