Bahia Bakari survived Yemenia Airways Flight 626 crash

The Crash of Yemenia Airways Flight 626

Yemenia Airways Flight 626 operated as a regular flight from Sanaa, Yemen, to Moroni in the Comoro Islands using an Airbus A310-324 bearing registration 7O-ADJ, according to United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) documents. The aircraft carried 142 passengers, predominantly French and Comoran nationals, alongside 11 crew members. As the flight initiated a visual approach to Runway 20 at Prince Saïd Ibrahim International Airport during a night marked by 30-knot wind gusts, the aircraft entered an unstable maneuver. Federal investigators noted that the flight crew remained fixated on the landing path and failed to respond to ground proximity warning alarms. The aircraft suffered a stall and struck the ocean surface roughly 18 kilometers northwest of the airport, resulting in 152 fatalities among the 153 occupants.

Bahia Bakari’s Account of Survival

Then a 12-year-old passenger traveling with her mother from Paris to the Comoro Islands for her grandfather’s wedding, Bakari boarded a smaller connecting aircraft in Sana’a. She described noticing flies inside the cabin and a strong odor resembling a restroom, though the flight proceeded normally until the landing phase. As the Airbus A310 descended into the Indian Ocean with its engines operating at full speed, Bakari felt turbulence followed by a sensation comparable to an electric shock coursing through her body before she lost consciousness and woke up in the water.

“I began to feel turbulence, but no one reacted excessively, so I said to myself that it must be normal,” Bahia Bakari stated during her court testimony. Bakari maintained her position in the water for half a day by holding onto floating fragments of the aircraft. She recalled hearing calls for help in the Comoran language and attempting to respond, though she could not spot anyone in the darkness. Rescuers eventually evacuated her, and hospital psychologists informed her that she was the only survivor from the flight and that her mother had died. Investigators found no technical failures within the aircraft systems, concluding instead that pilot negligence during the landing sequence caused the loss of control.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Yemenia Airways Flight 626 crash occur?

The accident happened on June 29, 2009, as the aircraft approached Moroni in the Comoro Islands.

How many people were on board the flight?

The flight carried 153 individuals, comprising 142 passengers and 11 crew members, according to NTSB records.

What caused the aircraft to crash?

Investigators determined that the crash resulted from crew negligence during a night visual approach, leading to an unmanaged stall and loss of control.

Who was the sole survivor?

Bahia Bakari, who was 12 years old at the time, survived by holding onto floating aircraft debris for 12 hours before rescue.