Burns unit treating 'miracle' crash child

Mohammed's treatment is being paid for by the president of the United Arab Emirates.

A two-year-old boy who was the sole survivor of a Sudanese plane crash which killed 116 people is being treated at a burns unit in the UK.

Mohammed el-Fateh Osman was moved to Broomfield Hospital in Essex after receiving care for the worst of his injuries at Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London.

The toddler, who lost part of a lower leg and is critically ill with severe burns, is being comforted by his father, uncle and aunt.

He is expected to stay at the hospital for several weeks, at the expense of the president of the United Arab Emirates.

Mohammed is said to have been found lying by a tree by a nomad, after the Sudan Airways Boeing 737 crashed on its way from Port Sudan Airport to Khartoum on Tuesday.

'Critical' condition

The two-year-old, whose mother died in the crash, arrived at Great Ormond Street on Friday.

A hospital spokesman said he was moved on to a paediatric unit at Broomfield on Saturday.

"A team of specialists at Great Ormond Street examined Mohamed, carried out a number of investigations, and treated his most urgent injuries," the spokesman said.

"At this stage it was felt the burns became the most pressing issue for treatment. It was therefore concluded that Mohammed would be treated in a specialist burns unit."

On Sunday Broomfield hospital described Mohammed's condition as "critical but stable".

'Miracle'

Shortly before Tuesday's crash the pilot radioed the control tower about a problem in one of the engines.

Sudan's aviation minister, Mohammed Hassan al-Bahi, said it was a "miracle dictated by God' that Mohammed survived.

A passenger list showed at least 14 of the passengers were children, including four babies.

The only British victim of the crash was Oxfam worker Nicholas Meadows.