A Dubai expat from India who escaped the Emirates aircraft crash landing last week has scooped $1 million in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw.
Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar, who was on board flight EK521 when it crash at Dubai International, had purchased his ticket on his way for a vacation with his family in Thiruvananthapuram in the south Indian state of Kerala, according to Gulf News.
Khadar became a millionaire after purchasing his 17th ticket, just four months before he was due to retire in December, he told the newspaper.
He described his escape along with other passengers from the Emirates plane as a “miracle”.
“If you ask me about my plans, I obviously want to help the children in Kerala who are less fortunate than others and need some financial help and medical support. I don’t want to give it to a charity or build a business, I want to go out and find people who really need help and give them money. I was poor, and I know what people go through,” he told Gulf News.
A total of 237 inbound and departing flights were cancelled after the crash and another 44 flights coming into the country were diverted to nearby airports. About 19,000 passengers were affected.
All 300 passengers and crew were safely evacuated from the Emirates plane after the crash, which occurred when the crew apparently tried to abort a landing. One firefighter was killed on the ground.
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