Annette Herfkens: A Love Story, a Tragedy, and the Will to Survive

In 1992, Annette Herfkens seemed to have everything — a high-flying Wall Street career, a deep and lasting relationship, and a future full of promise. After months apart due to their demanding jobs, she and her partner of 13 years, William van der Pas — affectionately known as “Pasje” — planned a long-awaited romantic escape. Their reunion would begin in Ho Chi Minh City and lead them to the tranquil shores of Nha Trang, Vietnam.

But just 50 minutes into Vietnam Airlines Flight 474, their dream unraveled. The Soviet-built Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft crashed into a remote Vietnamese mountain range. Of all the passengers aboard, only one survived: Annette.

The Crash: A Foreboding Feeling Fulfilled

As a lifelong claustrophobe, Annette felt immediate discomfort upon boarding the old, cramped jet. William tried to soothe her anxiety, assuring her the flight would be short. But as the plane stayed airborne beyond the 40-minute mark, dread began to take hold.

“I reached for his hand… then everything went black. Seconds later, we hit,” she later recalled.

When she awoke, she was pinned under debris, with the lifeless body of another passenger atop her. It didn’t take long for the devastating truth to settle in — William was gone, still strapped into his seat, unmoving, a soft smile frozen on his face.

Eight Days of Instinct and Endurance

Annette’s body was broken — a collapsed lung, a shattered hip, and a fractured leg — but her will to live was intact. Crawling free from the wreckage, she entered pure survival mode, relying on instinct and ingenuity.

  • She used deep, controlled breathing to manage her lung injury — a technique rooted in yoga.
  • She fashioned a way to collect rainwater using scraps of insulation from the plane.
  • She rationed her water intake, sipping every two hours, and praised herself for staying alive with each passing moment.

“That also makes you survive,” she later reflected. “Mindfulness — before we even had the word.”

In the beginning, she wasn’t alone. A few others had survived the crash. One offered her clothing. But one by one, their voices disappeared. Soon, she was the only one left — surrounded by silence and the dead.

Declared Dead, But Still Holding On

Back in the Netherlands, news of the crash spread quickly. Obituaries were printed. Her employer sent out a letter of condolence. It was widely assumed she had perished with the others.

But one colleague, Jaime Lupa, couldn’t accept that. He remained convinced Annette was still out there — and vowed to bring her home.

On the eighth day, rescuers arrived expecting only to recover bodies. What they found instead shocked them: Annette Herfkens, battered but alive, had survived the impossible.

The Aftermath: Healing, Loss, and a New Chapter

Recovery didn’t end with the rescue. Annette had to confront the grief of losing her fiancé, undergo numerous surgeries, and relearn how to walk. Yet by February 1993 — just a few months after the crash — she returned to her demanding job.

Emotionally, the healing took far longer.

Years later, she married Jaime Lupa, the friend who never gave up on her. Together, they had two children, Joosje and Max, before eventually divorcing. Though their paths diverged, Annette continued to carry the strength she had forged in the jungle and always honored the man she lost.

“Once I accepted I wasn’t with my fiancé on the beach… I saw what was there. And it was this beautiful jungle.”

From Trauma to Testimony: Telling Her Story

Annette eventually turned her survival into a story of inspiration. Her memoir, Turbulence: A True Story of Survival, recounted her experience in raw, honest detail and became the foundation for her new career as a motivational speaker.

She’s clear about what kept her alive: not luck, but presence.

“You learn from taking losses,” she said. “If I had been medicated as a child, I might not have developed the qualities I needed to survive.”

Survival Revisited: Raising a Son with Autism

Years after the crash, Annette faced a new challenge: her son Max was diagnosed with autism. Once again, she leaned into the mindset that saved her life.

  • She focused on what was present rather than what was lacking.
  • She prepared Max for everyday challenges with real-world practice — even taking “dry runs” to the police station.
  • She found support in inclusive communities and began helping other parents navigate similar paths.

“You have to mourn what’s not there — but focus on what is.”

The Jungle as a Sanctuary

Each year, Annette marks the crash anniversary in quiet reflection. She drinks a small glass of water, buys herself a gift, and honors the life she still has. Certain things still haunt her — she avoids sitting behind people on flights and rarely touches Vietnamese food — but her outlook is one of clarity, not fear.

“You get over your little self. Then instinct kicks in. That’s when you achieve.”

The jungle, once a place of unspeakable loss, has become her emotional refuge — a space where pain, resilience, and peace coexist.

For Annette Herfkens, survival was never just about staying alive in the jungle. It became a lifelong philosophy — rooted in instinct, shaped by loss, and lived with gratitude.