Plane crash survivors relieved to be home

Three teachers who survived a plane crash in Thailand touched down on home soil today for an emotional reunion with family and friends.

Sisters Aoife and Orlagh Creamer, and friend Lesley Dowdall, cut short their dream holiday in south-east Asia after their jet smashed into a disused control tower in the holiday resort of Koh Samui.

However, it will not be long before two of the girls are back in the sky.

Lesley is flying to Edinburgh next week and Aoife is jetting off to New York for Thanksgiving in November.

Orlagh, 20, a DCU student teacher from Swords, said while she was scared flying home she never feared for her safety.

“We figured we couldn’t be that unlucky again, we have been in one plane crash already,” said Orlagh, who also works in Sky Music in the airport.

“But it was scary.

“Your heart is in your mouth as soon as you touch down.

“We’re delighted to be back, but you won’t catch me on a flight for a while.”

The group climbed through mangled wreckage to get out of the plane, which had skidded on a rain-soaked runway on August 4. They escaped with only cuts and bruises.

The pilot of the Bangkok Airways’ ATR72 was killed in the accident.

The girls have since travelled on four different flights to make the long journey home, where they had a teary meeting with family and friends in a private VIP suite.

Aoife, 25, from Rush, Co Dublin, said it was a huge relief to be home.

“I couldn’t wait to come home,” said Aoife.

“I’ve never been so glad to be back in Ireland. Dublin Airport was the most amazing sight ever. We’re so relieved.”

A fourth friend, Aine Deasy, 21, from Swords, had been travelling with the group but she left Thailand before the crash after suffering a serious head injury in a fall.

But while Aoife is planning to relax at home for the next two weeks before she’s back teaching in St. Brendan’s National School in Loughshinny, Lesley will be catching up with her former pupils this week.

“I’ll be back in school in Wednesday when the Leaving Cert results come out,” added the 23-year-old teacher who works in St Finian’s Community College, Swords.

Inside the airport the sisters’ mother Aileen, Aoife’s partner Stephen Hegarty, Orlagh’s boyfriend Anthony Fuller, and Lesley’s parents Terry and Miriam and boyfriend Anthony Power were among the large group who welcomed them home.

Aoife’s best friend Sharon Scully got the day off work from Hibernian Aviva insurance to be at the airport.

“I couldn’t believe it when it happened, I just kept hoping that she’d be OK,” said Sharon, 24, from Skerries, Co Dublin.

“I had to be here to see her. I’m just really looking forward to knowing she’s home okay.”