by Noemi Galban and Raimundo Urrechaga
HAVANA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Cuba has maintained a vigil since Friday when a Boeing 737 crashed shortly after taking off from Havana's Jose Marti International Airport.
A total of 113 people were on board flight DMJ-0972 bound for Cuba's eastern city of Holguin, about 700 km east of the capital.
Initially, there were four survivors. However, one of them died minutes after arriving at a local hospital, while Gretell Landrove, a 23-year-old college student, passed away on Monday due to her severe injuries.
Millions of Cubans have scrutinized local television reports to find out about the medical evolution of Landrove as well as Mailen Diaz, 19, and Emiley Sanchez, 39, both from Holguin.
However, Landrove's death has had a profound impact.
"All these days have been very sad but Gretell's death affected me in a special way ...," Anabel Fonseca, a young Havana resident, told Xinhua.
Many Cubans drew strength from the survivors while weeping along with the families mourning their loved ones.
"I managed to save myself. Today I am 33 years old, I finally graduated, I'm a professional, I got married and I have a son but knowing that she (Gretell) won't be able to realize any of her dreams has made me very emotional," Fonseca said with tears.
Five days after the fatal event, only two survivors remain alive and their outlook remains a concern. While doctors say they have made slight improvements, regaining consciousness and communicating with doctors, their serious injuries still present serious risks.
Despite the critical state of both and the unfortunate fate of Landrove, the relatives of the two survivors are clinging to hope and trust in the medical team.
"They told me she has been improving a little bit and I think that both of them can come out of this. I have faith they will be saved because our doctors are very dedicated," said Marilyn Almaguer, mother of Mailen Diaz.
"They both have severe injuries with great trauma and we must wait. Doctors are now evaluating the secondary shocks due to the explosion of the aircraft or the collisions they suffered," Dr. Alicia Leon told Xinhua.
Leon was the first doctor to treat Mailen Diaz at a polyclinic near the airport after she was taken there by ambulance.
Once she stabilized, the young woman was transferred to Havana's Calixto Garcia hospital.
Cuban investigators, working at the crash site about 1 km south of the airport, have identified 58 bodies so far, supported by Mexican aviation authorities, experts from Boeing and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Of the Cubans on board, "32 were young people under 35 years old and that hurts, knowing how many broken dreams, how much life ahead has been undone," Adela Quijada, a senior citizen in Havana, told Xinhua.
Most of the Cuban victims were from Holguin and many heartbreaking stories have emerged since the tragedy.
Damojh, the Mexican owner of the plane, is now under investigation in Mexico and has been suspended from flying or leasing its planes.
The Boeing 737, leased by Cubana de Aviacion, crashed Friday near Jose Marti International Airport. A total of 111 people have died so far, including 100 Cubans, six Mexican crew and five foreign passengers.
