Switching seats had likely saved Mr. Lin Ming-wei and his family from death, after a TransAsia plane clipped a bridge and crashed into a Taiwan river Wednesday. 

Lin was traveling with his wife and two-year-old son to Kinmen for a vacation. Shortly before take off, Lin asked the flight attendant if they could move to a vacant row on the rear right side of the plane, citing an irritating noise coming from the wing. The family was initially seated at the left side of the plane.

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Minutes later, he found himself struggling to get out of the wrecked plane while pulling his wife out. He later found his toddler floating in the river, pulseless with lips turning blue.

"He is my only child. I absolutely have to save his life - I can't lose him," local media quoted Lin as he recalled giving his son CPR as an emergency response.

Lin believed his decision to switch seats saved his family. His wife and son are currently at a hospital receiving treatment.

The Taiwan Central News Agency cited initial reports that the left side of the plane - where the family was originally seated - was severely damaged in the crash.

So far, 32 people are confirmed dead in the tragic crash. Only 15 survived, including Lin's family. Rescue teams are still scrambling to search for 12 people missing.

Yeh Chun-hsing, Taipei's Fire Department official said, "We have not found survivors or bodies of the 12 missing, but we will not give up. We'll continue to search."

Of the 53 people on board, 31 were Chinese, 16 of whom were killed. The co-pilot also died in the crash.

On Wednesday, the day of the crash, TransAsia's shares closed down 6.9 percent - its biggest decline since late 2011. It further plummeted 4 percent on Thursday

TagsTransAsia crash, plane crash, taiwan crash, switched seats