A passenger on the Southwest Airlines jet that suffered a explosion, resulting in a mother-of-two being killed, said he had to pay for WiFi so that he could Facebook Live his 'final moments'.
Marty Martinez, 29, was on Flight 1380 and sitting rows from Wells Fargo executive, Jennifer Riordan, who was killed after she was almost sucked out of her window following the midair explosion.
While hero ex-Navy fighter pilot Tammie Jo Shults calmly told air traffic control that part of the aircraft was missing and there were injured passengers on board, oxygen masks were deployed onboard and Marty decided to use a credit card to pay $8 (£5) for WiFi on board the plane, according to MailOnline.
Marty went on to make his social media broadcast 'because I wanted to reach the people I love' he said in a later Facebook post.
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The digital marketing entrepreneur filmed himself live as he fitted his oxygen mask, with the caption: "Something is wrong with our plane! It appears we are going down! Emergency landing! Southwest flight to NYC to Dallas!!"
After Tammie landed the plane safely, Marty later wrote on Facebook: "I literally bought WiFi as the plane was going down because I wanted to be able to reach the people I loved...thinking these were my final moments on earth.
"And put in a position to have to prioritize the people I loved to send them my final words was an absolutely gut wrenching feeling. So I thought to Facebook LIVE my experience, thinking this would be my last communication with the people I loved and my team back home."
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Marty also send a text to his family and friends, which read: "I want you to know that I love you all and thank you for all you've done."
He also shared his 'thoughts and prayers' with Jennifer Riordan's family after he found out that she did not make it out alive.
In his full post he said: "Just found out the woman on the flight who was injured didn't make it. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. I feel very lucky to be alive."
In a conversation with The Toronto Star, he said that he saw passengers huddled around a woman slumped in her seat where the window had blown out and were trying to stuff jackets and coats into the broken window.
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He explained: "A man was helping - there was blood all over him. She made no noise at all. I could see the blood all over the gentleman's hands."
Marty predicted that the plane descended for 10 to 12 minutes and he was able to get mobile phone connection, but couldn't get through to his mother.
He added: "I felt like I had minutes left. I was bracing for an explosion. And then I saw the runway. It was only when he had hit the ground and you could tell the plane was slowing down - there just a sign of relief and cheers across the plane. Everyone was just so grateful to be alive".
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Marty's colleague who was sitting next to him wrote a goodbye note to his wife and unborn child, according to The Sun.
Jennifer Riordan's heartbroken husband, Michael, and their two young children, described her as 'the bedrock of our family'.
A family statement read: "Jennifer's vibrancy, passion and love infused our community and reached across our country.
"Her impact on everything and everyone she touched can never be fully measured. She and Mike wrote a love story unlike any other. Her beauty and love is evident through her children."
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It added: "In her memory - please remember to always be kind, loving, caring, and sharing."
The Boeing 737 was flying over western Pennsylvania with 143 passengers and five members of crew on board when the left engine suddenly exploded at 32,000ft.
The pilot immediately diverted its course and flew towards Philadelphia to make an emergency landing. It arrived at 11am at a descent of 3,000ft per minute, around 10 minutes after the engine exploded.
Tammie Jo Shults is being hailed a hero for safely landing the plane with 143 passengers and five crew on board.
Gary Kelly, CEO and chairman of Southwest said the airline is now sending a go-team to Philadelphia to assist with response efforts.
He said: "This is a sad day and our hearts go out to the family and the loved ones of the deceased customer."
The airline said they had not found any problems with the plane and the engine when it was inspected on Sunday April 15, 2018.
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Marty MartinezTopics: News, Passengers, US News, US