ABUJA, (PNA/Xinhua) — A survivor of the Oct. 3 plane crash in Nigeria’s Lagos State has lost all 10 toes and five fingers on her left hand to a gangrene infection detected in some parts of her body during treatment at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital, NAF Base in Ikeja, capital of the southwestern state, her colleagues disclosed this week.
Queeneth Owolabi, the survivor and member of the cabin crew of the Associated Airline’s ill-fated plane, lost her toes and fingers early this week after doctors insisted that an amputation would stop the spread of the infection to other parts of her body which were yet to be affected.
“The airline has not been forthcoming on care for the two cabin crew who survived the crash. The excuse they gave for Queeneth’s case was that she was not stable enough to be flown out of the country for treatment. Now, her toes and fingers have been severed because of abandonment,” said Blessing Efe, the survivor’s colleague.
Toyin Samson, another survivor of the plane crash, who worked for the airline, is currently in a stable condition at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), located in the Lagos capital city of Ikeja, where she is on admission, according to Efe.
The company staff flayed management of Associated Airline for abandoning the cabin crew members since the accident occurred three weeks ago, expressing further disappointment that nobody was talking about insurance claims for victims of the crash.
Efe rued the amputation and said the victim would have been saved from it if the airline and aviation authorities had responded to the request of Owolabi’s family and colleagues who pleaded for her to be flown for treatment abroad.
“It is unfortunate that no help came when Queeneth needed it most. Imagine the trauma she is going through at the moment,” she added.
Two other survivors, Feyi Agagu and Femi Akinsanya, had reportedly been flown abroad, by their families, for further medical treatment.
Aviation authorities and hospital management declined to speak on the issue when contacted.
The air mishap on Oct. 3 occurred when a chartered plane operated by local Associated Airline developed a mechanical fault mid-air and crash landed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport axis, three minutes after its take-off.
At least 14 people were confirmed dead by the authorities.