An Israeli woman who survived a plane crash in Panama last week described the terrifying moments before and after the aircraft skidded off a runway and crashed into vegetation on a Caribbean island.
Liron Deutsch, 22, from the northern Israeli community of Ahuzat Barak, was traveling with her father, Effi, on a short domestic flight from Panama City to the Bocas del Toro Islands on Friday when the crash occurred. The two were among 38 people aboard a Fokker 50 plane operated by Air Panama. No serious injuries were reported.
Liron Deutsch
In an interview with Ynetnews on Tuesday, Deutsch, a recently discharged soldier, said the trip had been part of a post-service vacation.
“It was meant to be an amazing experience — islands, beaches, diving, and relaxation. The sweetest life imaginable,” she said.
But as the plane approached its destination, Deutsch said she felt something was wrong.
“I grabbed my dad’s hand and told him something didn’t feel right about the landing,” she said. “There was no announcement. The plane descended too quickly, and there were vibrations. Then we felt a massive boom — a real crash. It didn’t sound like anything I’ve ever heard before.”
Deutsch recalled being thrown forward on impact, hitting her face, body, and knees, while another passenger was flung onto her, folding her seat. Inside the cabin, she said, passengers screamed and cried in panic.
She and her father managed to escape through the front door of the plane and waded through a swamp with murky water reaching up to their shoulders before rescue teams arrived.
“We had nothing with us,” she said. “We stood outside, trying to process what had just happened — what was left of the plane. It was completely destroyed. It felt like a horror movie.”
According to Panamanian media, the aircraft skidded off the runway and veered roughly 1,090 yards before coming to a stop. The island’s airstrip is just 1,640 yards long and 28 yards wide.
Authorities believe severe weather during the rainy season was a likely factor. The plane’s black boxes have been recovered, and the investigation is ongoing. The pilots have already provided testimony.
Deutsch said she and her father are still in shock and unsure when they will return to Israel.
“We’ve never experienced anything like this before,” she said. “We don’t know what to do or plan.”