Andrew Needum felt “moved to act” when he saw a fellow passenger sucked into a plane window after their Southwest flight suffered an explosion in the engine, he told reporters on Thursday.
“When he saw the commotion going on six rows behind us, he was gone. He didn’t hesitate,” Needum’s father, who was also onboard the flight, said.
A career firefighter, 34-year-old Needum and another passenger worked to pull the woman back into the cabin.
Needum was travelling with his parents, wife and two children when the explosion happened.
His wife Stephanie said she wasn’t surprised by her husband’s actions.
“I just knew that at that moment, someone else needed him much more than we did. And that’s what his calling is — to help,” she said.
WATCH: ‘Somebody went out?’ Audio from Southwest engine explosion captures air traffic controller’s disbelief
Bank executive Jennifer Riordan, 43, was killed when she was partially pulled through a shattered window next to her seat in row 14 as the cabin suffered rapid decompression. While Needum and another passenger were able to pull Riordan back into the cabin, she died of her injuries later on Tuesday.
“My heart is broken for them. I just pray that they find comfort, that they find healing whatever that may be, however they seek it,” Needum said.
Southwest crews were inspecting similar engines the airline had in service, focusing on the 400 to 600 oldest of the CFM56 engines, made by a partnership of France’s Safran and General Electric, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. It was the second time that style of engine had failed on a Southwest jet in the past two years, prompting airlines around the world to step up inspections.
The airline is expected to wrap up its inspection of the engines it was targeting in about 30 days.
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