The pilot of an Aeromexico plane that crashed in Mexico's north-central state of Durango is recovering from a spinal cord injury, according to information released by a local hospital Thursday.
Pilot Carlos Galvan, who managed to maneuver the plane in a way that no lives were lost, suffered a contusion of his spinal cord as a result of the crash on Tuesday.
The spinal cord is responsible for the movement of the hands, feet, thorax and abdomen. Artemio Ortega, director of General Hospital 450, said Galvan can now move his hands and feet.
The pilot is also in no danger of quadriplegia or paraplegia. Reportedly, he could recall his traumatic experience in precise detail.
Galvan could possibly be facing a long recovery period, said Ortega, adding that the pilot was in good spirits.
"Fortunately, he is recuperating adequately," Ortega told a local radio station.
The Embraer 190 jetliner crashed shortly after attempting to take off from the city's international airport with 99 passengers and four crew members on board.
Everyone managed to exit the plane before it became engulfed in flames minutes later.
A few passengers recorded the in-cabin chaos with their cellphones and uploaded the footage to social network platforms.
One video showed that the plane jolted after being hit by a bolt of lightning and then crashed, leaving passengers to scramble for the exits in the dark.
According to the local civil protection agency, as of Wednesday, 22 people were still hospitalized, but most of them are out of danger. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
