After the Air France plane crash a month ago, search parties were not likely optimistic looking for survivors of the Yemenia Air flight that went down in the Indian Ocean.

But they found one. Bahia Bakari, 14, is so far the only survivor known. She can barely swim, but survived in the choppy waters in the dark and among bodies. Amazingly, she had no serious injuries, but reportedly had cuts to her face and a fractured collarbone.

Physically she is fine… She clung to a piece of debris.

She was conscious and speaking but described in the Sydney Morning Herald as “fragile”.

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Initially, reports said a toddler was the only one found of the 153 passengers and crew. Late yesterday, it was made more clear.

The brave girl is from Marseille, France. Her father, Kassim Bakari, says he was impressed that she survived.

She’s a very timid girl, I never thought she would escape like that.

Her mother is one of those feared dead after the crash. Bakari is heading to Comoros to be with his daughter and collect his wife’s body, if found. He says he is mourning the loss of his wife but overjoyed his daughter survived.

She was ejected. She was found beside the plane. I never thought she would get out like that. It’s the Good Lord who wanted it.

The Airbus 310 was  bound to the Comoros islands from Paris and Marseille via Yemen. It crashed somewhere between 3 and 6 miles from the coast. The French government said that one black box flight recorder had been found. The islands are a former colony of France.

Now, Yemenia Air is being criticized for the crash. French authorities said they found numerous faults with the plane that crashed in 2007.

Image: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah