Chapecoense crash survivor Alan Ruschel reveals seat swap saved his life

Chapecoense plane crash survivor Alan Ruschel made his first public comments and revealed that a seat swap may have saved his life.

Ruschel, a 27-year-old defender, is one of three players that survived a fatal plane crash in the mountains of Colombia that killed 71 people, including 19 of his teammates. The team was on the way to Medellin, Colombia, for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final. Club director Cadu Gaucho asked Ruschel to switch seats. Gaucho died in the crash.

"Cadu Gaucho asked me to sit further forward and let the journalists sit together at the back," Ruschel said. "I didn’t want to but then I saw Jackson Follmann and he insisted I sit beside him. Only God can explain why I survived the accident. He grabbed me and gave me a second chance."

• Mailbag: U.S. women's CBA talks, MLS, USMNT camp

Watch Ruschel's comments below:

[youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKklalALZik]

Follmann, a goalkeeper, survived the crash along with defender Neto.

Earlier this month, Ruschel was filmed walking and speaking again while he started his recovery process.

GALLERY: The world's tributes to Chapecoense

The world's tributes to Chapecoense

Atletico Nacional, the club Chapecoense was flying to play in the Copa Sudamericana final, holds a vigil in a packed stadium in Colombia to honor the victims of the plane crash.

Atletico Nacional honors Chapecoense with T-shirts prior to a league match in Colombia.

Solemn Arsenal players hold up a Força Chape banner prior to a League Cup match.

Atalanta fans pass a Chapecoense tifo around the stadium.

Fans at Club America's Liga MX playoff game against Necaxa at Estadio Azteca turn their cellphones into flashlights in honor of the Chapecoense victims.

Boca Juniors players hold up a banner that, translated, reads "We are all Chapecoense."

PSG forward Edinson Cavani reveals a Chapecoense T-shirt under his uniform after scoring a goal against Angers in Ligue 1.

Air Force members carry a casket carrying one of the victims of the Chapecoense air crash during a memorial service at the club's stadium in Chapeco, Brazil.

Chapecoense holds a memorial service at Arena Conda on a rainy day to commemorate the lives lost in the plane crash.

Manchester City and Chelsea players observe a minute's silence for the victims of the Chapecoense plane crash.

Rivals united: Barcelona and Real Madrid players stand together to honor the Chapecoense crash victims prior to El Clasico at Camp Nou.

Dortmund players stand together in silence to honor Chapecoense.

Chelsea's Brazilian players David Luiz and Willian hold up armbands with Força Chape written on them to honor the crash victims.

Everton and Manchester United players observe a moment of silence to honor Chapecoense.

Fans of Japanese club Cerezo Osaka remember Everton Kempes dos Santos Goncalves, a Chapecoense crash victim who played there in 2012.

Fiorentina and Palermo players stand silently to commemorate the Chapecoense crash victims.

Juventus players stand under a spotlight during a moment of observance for the Chapecoense victims.

Manchester City players warm up for their match vs. Chelsea with T-shirts dedicated to Chapecoense.

Fans at Tigres UANL's Liga MX playoff match vs. Leon display a giant black ribbon tifo in honor of the Chapecoense crash victims.

Argentina power River Plate wears a special jersey with a Chapecoense symbol across the chest.

Brazilian Bruno Cesar flashes a tribute to Chapecoense after scoring for Sporting Lisbon in Portugal's top flight.

AC Milan's Ignazio Abate wears a special armband and jersey to commemorate Chapecoense.

Toronto FC fans show their support for Chapecoense during the second leg of the MLS Eastern Conference final vs. Montreal.

CONMEBOL posthumously awarded the Copa Sudamericana title to Chapecoense, at the suggestion of Atletico Nacional, the other finalist.

The two sides will meet next year in the Recopa Sudamericana, which pits the reigning winners of the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana against one another.