TWENTY-ONE days after a disastrous flight from Singapore to Perth, when the plane nose-dived twice, the physical wounds have healed for many of the injured passengers and cabin crew. But some, like Singapore Management University student Joshua Lee, 24, are still dealing with the psychological trauma.
Mr Lee was not physically hurt in the incident. But at a recent interview, he appeared tense and tired, and sometimes took long pauses between answers.
'I can't really sleep. I sometimes get flashbacks in my dreams. My whole body tenses up. I even woke up with cramps in my legs once,' he said.
More than 70 people were injured when Qantas flight QF72 plunged 200m in two dives, slamming many onboard into the cabin's ceiling and walls. About 50 people were taken to hospital, with injuries ranging from lacerations to bone and spinal fractures. Several Singaporeans were among the injured.
When asked what he remembers of the incident, he said: 'The look of fear on faces, like, 'Are we dead yet?', is still stuck in my mind.'
His voice trailing off, he added: 'It's hard to forget.'
Mr Lee was seated in the middle row near the back. He had his seat belt on.
'There was a Syrian family in the row in front of me. During the first plunge, they flew up, hit the ceiling and fell back into my row. Somehow, they didn't hit me, but landed on my left.' Mr Lee ended up holding on to the family's injured child during the second plunge.
He cannot erase the memory of another Indian passenger.
'A large part of his scalp was torn off (by falling debris from the ceiling). I could see part of his skull, and blood was all over the seat. The people around him were horrified.'
After the second plunge, the plane took about 30 minutes to land. 'Those injured were still screaming and moaning...Nobody could help them, because they were so injured, and those who had spinal injuries couldn't even move.'
Mr Lee said that Qantas arranged for him to meet a counsellor, more than two weeks later.
'I just want to talk to someone who can help me move on,' he said. 'I feel very lethargic and distracted, and I find it very hard to focus.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Oct 28, 2008.
