HAULOVER BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Back in May, a pilot left Fort Lauderdale International Airport on a flight to Key West when something went wrong with the plane. This prompted the pilot to immediately land the plane onto a South Florida bridge.
A victim that was struck by the plane, Aida Kazakova, is now speaking out.
“It’s turned my life upside down,” said Kazakova. “Every time I start thinking about it, it’s really hard.”
Kazakova and her two children were inside her SUV when the pilot made an emergency landing on the bridge. The plane collided with her vehicle.
Somehow, she and her two boys, 6 and 2, were able to walk away.
“Thank you, I truly believe my car saved my life,” she said.
The pilot, Narciso Torres, did not survive the plane landing. His two passengers on board were sent to the hospital.
Federal investigators so far have said Torres experienced engine trouble shortly after taking off from FLL, but he believed he could have landed safely.
“All of that time I was thinking that probably we’re not gonna get out easily,” said Kazakova.
The mother is now thankful to be alive as the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation on what led up to this tragedy.
“I still cannot believe that I got into this situation, but even a person had to lose his life,” said Kazakova. “I’m still not settled. I still don’t believe this was the truth, and it’s scary. I need answers. I need to know what happened, how this could happen.”
Kazakova sent her condolences to Torres’ family, and she is still waiting for answers as the federal investigation wraps up.
“Her family needs closure,” said Attorney Victoria Vidre. “There has to be answers because her children and her are going through a lot.”
The investigation remains ongoing and could possibly go on for several months or even years.
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