Bachelorette NZ intruder Mike Bullot lucky to avoid fatal flight MH17

"Too many what-ifs to think about right now," the professional sailor said at the time. Photos / Supplied

Bachelorette NZ newcomer and professional sailor Mike Bullot had a close call with fatal flight MH17 in 2014.

The ex-husband of 2012 MasterChef NZ winner Chelsea Winter was set to board MH17 but was bumped onto another flight as it was overbooked.

At the time he wrote on Facebook that "it was a good day to be alive" after his narrow escape.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down on 17 July 2014 while flying over eastern Ukraine. All 283 passengers and 15 crew were killed. Photo / Supplied

"Arriving at check-in for flight MH0017 on the 16th July being told flight was overbooked and I'm placed on standby," he said.

"I'm obviously pretty pissed about this and it's explained to me that airlines can legally overbook up to 20 percent of seats and today's flight is well overbooked. But, 'not to worry, we'll pay for a hotel and expenses while you wait for tomorrow's flight if a seat doesn't come available'.

He told Newstalk ZB that he was only issued a seat and boarding pass for the new flight a few minutes before the gates closed for MH17.

Had a seat not become available, Bullot would have been put on the MH17 flight, which crashed in rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine.

"Standing there with the 20 or 30 other people who were in the same situation, I have no idea who didn't make it of those people standing around me," he said.

"Too many what-ifs to think about right now,"