Family of Dutch boy who was sole survivor of Libya plane crash says he is recovering well

In a photo released by Libya TV, the lone survivor of a Afriqiyah Airways plane crash in Tripoli is seen being treated. (AP)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The family of a 9-year-old Dutch boy who was the sole survivor of last week's plane crash in Libya says he is recovering well in a Dutch hospital.

Ruben van Assouw's parents and 11-year-old brother were among the 103 passengers and crew members killed last Wednesday when an Afriqiyah Airways plane slammed into the desert short of the runway at an airport in Libya's capital, Tripoli.

Ruben's family said in a statement Tuesday that he will require another operation when he is strong enough to undergo surgery. His legs were crushed in the crash.

Despite his ordeal, Ruben was not afraid to fly again, his family says. He flew home Saturday with an aunt and uncle, and is being treated in a hospital in the southern city of Tilburg.