LEE BOWYER has revealed how he and his Leeds team-mates were SECONDS from death after being caught up in a horrifying plane explosion.
The former Elland Road midfielder, his team-mates, coaching and backroom staff as well as directors were travelling back from a Premier League game at in March 1998.
Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer has recalled how he was seconds from death after he was caught in a plane explosionCredit: PA
In 1998 the engine of a plane carrying the Leeds football team exploded, but the quick-thinking actions of the pilot saved the dayCredit: Alamy
And shortly after taking off from Stansted Airport an engine exploded and one of the wings caught fire.
But quick-thinking hero pilot Captain John Hackett somehow managed to crash-land the plane back onto the runway — with miraculously no injuries.
Bowyer, 48, said: “I can remember the firemen telling us at the time that if we’d have been in the air for another 30 seconds, to a minute, the plane would have blown.
“I’m sitting one seat back from the escape doors, so I’m basically overlooking the wing, and the engine on my side just blew up.
“You watch the movies, and when something like that happens, the plane blows up, doesn’t it?
“So, I’m looking at it, and I was just thinking, ‘Well, that’s it. It’s just going to blow up and time’s up.’
“But, luckily enough for us, the pilot was unbelievable. He did an amazing job and somehow got us back down.
“Usually, when you’re in that kind of situation, you’re supposed to carry on with your take-off, circle round and re-land back on the runway.
“But the pilot was able to bring the plane straight back down without having to do any of that, because of the size of the runway.
“Had he not been able to, that would’ve been it. It would’ve blown up.”
It brought mortality into sharp focus with 44 passengers and crew cheating death by the finest of margins.
And the sheer thought that Bowyer’s own life could have been over before his 21st birthday sends shivers down his spine.
He said: “I’m usually laid back and don’t worry about things. But from that moment I kind of thought we’re not in control of our own lives, fully.
“When your time is up, that’s it. It’s a sad thing to think about but that’s what I’ve believed ever since that day.”
Although Bowyer himself was back on a plane not long after the close shave with death, he revealed how team-mate David Batty would avoid flying after that.
He said: “I was back on a plane almost immediately because I’d rather get to somewhere like in an hour rather than five or six.
“But I remember Batty refusing to fly and a few of the lads choosing to drive down to games with him.
“Flying to and from matches was normal for us. Obviously playing for Leeds, we were up north and so if ever we were playing down south, we’d always travel that way.
“And then you’ve got European games too so you had no choice but to fly to them.”
Bowyer — speaking at the Ladbrokes’ launch of Ladisfaction —
went on to make 203 appearances for Leeds before going on to play for West Ham, , Birmingham and Ipswich.
He also managed Charlton, winning promotion to the via the play-offs in 2019, as well as Birmingham.
The former international added: “We didn’t get anything in terms of compensation, or anything like that, although to be honest, just to still be breathing was compensation enough.”
Bowyer recalled how the engine on his side of the plane caught fireCredit: Getty Images – Getty 
