The Kerala Air India plane crash has cost 18 lives till now. But an unplanned seat exchange that took place before the take-off ended up saving the lives of a mother-daughter duo. 

Saleekha, a 24-year-old mother and her 2-year-old daughter Laiba Fathoom had shifted their seats from the front to the middle of the plane over the wings as Saleekha’s friend and her child were seated there.

First Post

They had gone to Dubai in March. But as their visa expired, Saleekha and her daughter had to come back by the ill-fated Air India aircraft. 

Reportedly, Saleekha and her daughter have mild body aches. It is said that she is sad and worried about the passengers who exchanged seats with her as they are severely injured. 

Saleekha and Laiba are quarantined at home in Malappuram district upon the risks of being exposed to COVID-19. 

The Indian Express

While in conversation with Live Mint, Saleekha shared that: 

My allotted seat was at the very front. There was a friend of mine, whose husband worked with my husband, and her child, seated to the middle of the plane over the wings. So we shifted over there and the men there shifted to my seat before take-off. 
NDTV

Saleekha also shared that she saw the people seated in front of her being taken to the hospital as they were in serious condition. 

India Today/ Reuters

Among the 18 people who died in the crash, Captain Deepak Sathe and co-pilot, First Officer, Akhilesh Kumar were also one of them.