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Libya crash boy's family blog becomes a memorial

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Survivor 9-year-old Ruben van Assouw lies in bed at El Khadra hospital in Tripoli May 12, 2010. REUTERS/STRINGER

Survivor 9-year-old Ruben van Assouw lies in bed at El Khadra hospital in Tripoli May 12, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/STRINGER

AMSTERDAM | Fri May 14, 2010 11:46am EDT

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The family travel blog of the sole survivor of a Libyan plane crash that killed 103 people has turned into a condolence register, with dozens offering sympathy to the nine-year-old Dutch boy orphaned by the crash.

Ruben van Assouw lost both his parents and his brother in Wednesday's disaster and the blog run by his father Patrick at onsgaanopvakansie.blogspot.com has been inundated with messages following the crash.

"With horror, incomprehension and deep grief, we gradually realize that this weblog will be the last fresh memory," a person called Eelco posted on the Dutch language blog on May 12.

After that message more than 100 postings in Dutch and English followed, mainly addressing Ruben and offering him emotional support.

"So young and having to go through this already," a person called BS said. "With tears in my eyes I am looking at your holiday pictures. You probably had a beautiful holiday. Keep that memory. You are a miracle child and you must have an angel sitting on your shoulder."

An Airbus A330-200, which had been in service only since September, was flying from Johannesburg to the Libyan capital when it crashed just short of the runway early on Wednesday.

"No words are adequate enough to say here but please know that everyone is praying for you. Get well soon, Little Miracle Boy," another person said.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry said on Friday the boy would be repatriated on Saturday on a plane leaving Tripoli at 0800 GMT.

"The family urgently request all media to be reserved and to give Ruben and his family peace in this difficult time," the ministry said in a statement.

(Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Jon Boyle)

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Comments (1)
Soetdoring wrote:
Ruben survived TWO miracles!
See,South Africa is a beautiful Country! But Every three days a farmers of European decent gets murdered….about 25 people get murdered very brutally per day!

So your have survived the barbaric slaying in South Africa AND
the plane crash,
You surely have an guardian angel.
We wish you the best of luck.

May 14, 2010 1:41pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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