Brazil Serie A

Watch: Chapecoense survivor reveals seat swap that saved his life

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:07 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated via Planet Futbol

Chapecoense plane crash survivor Alan Ruschel made his first public comments and revealed that a seat swap may have saved his life.

Ruschel, a 27-year-old defender, is one of three players that survived a fatal plane crash in the mountains of Colombia that killed 71 people including 19 of his teammates. The team was on the way to Medellin, Colombia for the Copa Sudamericana final. Club director Cadu Gaucho asked Ruschel to switch seats.

“Cadu Gaucho asked me to sit further forward and let the journalists sit together at the back,” Ruschel said. ‘I didn’t want to but then I saw Jakson Follman and he insisted I sit beside him. Only God can explain why I survived the accident. He grabbed me and gave me a second chance.”

Watch Ruschel's comments below:

Follman, a goalkeeper, survived the crash along with defender Neto.

Earlier this month, Ruschel was filmed walking and speaking again while he started his recovery process.

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