Ever feel like someone is watching over you? That's how Barry and Izzy Sim are feeling today.  The couple and their baby had been booked to travel on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which has been shot down on the Russia-Ukraine border, killing 298 people including 27 Australians.

They were bumped from their seats on MH17 - and got rebooked to a later flight with another airline after learning the flight was full.

“You get this sick feeling in the pit of your stomach,” Barry offered. “We started getting butterflies. Your heartbeat starts going." Izzy agreed and added, "“There must have been someone watching over us and saying 'You must not get on that flight’.”   Apparently, they learned of the tragedy on the way to the airport.  “Coming to the airport in the taxi I was just crying, said Izzy. "I feel like I’ve been given a second chance.”

And while Barry was okay with getting on their flight with KLM, Izzy was worried about the danger of another crash. “In my mind lightning never strikes twice in the same place so I am still philosophical that you get on the flight and you go about your life,” he mused. “I know my wife doesn’t feel like that. Probably the last thing she wants to do now is fly, especially to Kuala Lumpur.”

The Sims weren't the only lucky ducks. One Adelaide, Australia woman, who has chosen to not be named, who flew back into the city today told ABC Radio she twice came close to being on the fatal flight.  “We flew into KL from Amsterdam on the MH17 flight, the day before, so it’s a bit surreal to think that, you know, one day later and I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you right now,” she explained.  “We originally had our itinerary to be on that flight, but then we changed it thinking we’d be too jet-lagged for work on Monday.

 

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