2 days ago
Survivor of Skydiving Plane Crash Says He's 'Extremely Blessed': 'Today is the Day the Healing Starts'
A small plane crashed shortly after taking off from Tullahoma Regional Airport in Tennessee on Sunday, June 8
Survivor, Justin Fuller Spidey, shared an update on his condition following the crash in a Facebook post
"I got lucky and came out without a scratch," he said, while also asking for "thoughts and prayers" for those still in the hospitalA survivior of the Tennessee skydiving plane crash is speaking out for the first time.
Skydiving plane instructor Justin Fuller Spidey, who was on the plane along with 19 other people, said he is 'lucky' and "blessed" he escaped the June 8 crash uninjured.
'I just wanted to make a post and reach out to everyone and let y'all know I'm ok. I was on the plane,' wrote Spidey in a Facebook post shared hours after the incident. 'Thank you to everyone who reached out and showed love, I appreciate it.
"I got lucky and came out without a scratch…I'm extremely blessed to have such an amazing support group on my side, y'all rock!' he added.
The small plane crashed shortly after taking off from Tullahoma Regional Airport, about 75 miles south of Nashville, at around 12:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 8.
Spidey said four people remain in the hospital, including the pilot, who 'has the longest road to recovery' ahead. He asked for thoughts and prayers.
'Today is the day the healing starts. And keep our pilot at the top of the list. He saved everyone on board and has the longest road to recovery out of all of us. Yesterday was a day I won't soon forget,' he concluded.
Lyle Russell, a spokesperson for the city of Tullahoma, said in a statement to PEOPLE that 20 people, including crew members and passengers, were aboard the aircraft when it crashed, but "there were no casualties." He added that 'there are some minor injuries."
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said on social media that the plane landed near Old Shelbyville Road and several of those on board were airlifted to hospitals. One person was still in critical condition as of Monday, June 9, WSMV reported, citing the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Skydive Tennessee confirmed that they operated the plane in a statement posted on Facebook Sunday. They explained that the plane crashed as a result of 'an aborted take-off' at the airport.
'There was an aircraft incident at our operation yesterday that has left us all stunned,' the statement read. 'Firstly and most importantly, we are incredibly thankful that there were no fatalities. Six people, including our pilot, were taken to the hospital out of an abundance of caution-all were alert and talking at the scene. Several have since been released.'
'The incident occurred following an aborted takeoff, resulting in a crash on airport property. Emergency responders were on the scene within minutes, and we're deeply grateful for their swift, professional care.'
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Skydive Tennessee said they are focusing on figuring out the cause of the crash and confirmed that the aircraft was 'current on all required maintenance inspections at the time of the flight.'
'We're committed to learning everything we can from this incident,' the statement continued. 'We also recognize that events like this affect more than just those on board. Our thoughts are with our extended team and community as we all process what happened.'
The National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating the incident, per WSMV.
PEOPLE has contacted the Tennessee Highway Patrol and NTSB for comment.
Read the original article on People
