How to survive in an air crash? Survivors in air crashes

A huge number of people are afraid to fly, for fear of perishing. They read about how to survive in a plane crash, knowing full well that the probability of being in such a situation is quite small. And although the chance to get into a car accident is much higher, frighten the height and helplessness. However, the answer to the question, whether people survived in air crashes, - yes. And this already gives hope. Moreover, some of them managed to escape in conditions where all the others died. And not least because of their reasonable actions.

Causes of air crashes

The chance to die during the flight is much less likely to win the lottery. Nevertheless, several times a year there are tragedies that take the lives of hundreds of people at a time. Naturally, this frightens, even if survivors remain in air crashes. Photos from the scene of the accident are so impressive that many subsequently refuse to fly, if there are other options. But if you think about it, the airplane is one of the safest modes of transport. Yes, like in any other case, there is a risk. In fact, the reasons why something can go wrong, not too much.

First, it is a human factor. This is the most probable cause, as the failure of technology without the participation of people is a rather rare thing. All safety systems are duplicated and checked before each flight, while human capabilities, including reaction time, attention, speed and quality of decision-making are imperfect. In 70% of cases, when certain incidents occur, with or without victims, the point is that people have done something wrong.

The remaining 30% are to blame for technical failures not related to staff errors, as well as complex reasons. In the same category are usually attributed incidents, and remained a mystery.

Aircraft designs are constantly being improved, engineers, electricians and other specialists are working to minimize the participation of people in the flight process. Interstate Aviation Committee, national governments, aircraft manufacturers - a sufficiently large number of parties are interested in investigating the causes of each incident, and therefore serious attention is paid to this. And because quite often all passengers become victims, according to their stories it becomes clear how to survive in a plane crash. In fact, it is quite possible, even if the accident occurred at a tremendous height. And even more so, there were people who survived the plane crashes that happened on the ground. So, what is needed in order to be saved?

Major air crashes

The most terrible tragedy in which airplanes were involved is the terrorist attack that took place on September 11, 2001. Almost 3 thousand people died on this day. However, strictly speaking, these accidents do not fall under the definition of an aviation accident, which means that the championship is not after them.

• The most numerous in terms of the number of victims to this day is considered to be the tragedy on the island of Tenerife, which occurred in March 1977, when two aircraft crashed on the runway. Nearly 600 people were killed. The stories of the survivors in the crash terrify to the depths of the soul - of the number of survivors, 12 passengers simply became confused by the intellect.
• In 1985, the world was struck by a major accident in Japan. The plane lost control, which resulted in 520 casualties.
• Another clash, but this time in the air, occurred in November 1996 in India. Almost 350 dead.
• In March 1974, as a result of the explosive decompression in Paris, a Turkish airplane crashed. The victims were 346 people.
• As a result of the terrorist attack in June 1985, an airliner with 329 people aboard died at a distance of 70 kilometers from the Irish Cork.
• In August 1980, 301 people were victims of a fire on board in the Riyadh area.

Only 30 of the 100 largest accidents in the history of aviation happened in the 21st century. Did people survive in air crashes? Of course, though not in everyone. Of course, after any, even the smallest incident, a thorough investigation is conducted, which may result in decisions on strengthening security measures at the airport, improving dispatchers and other ground services, as well as the design of aircraft and the introduction of new control systems. So every year the chance to survive in a plane crash, if it happens, is getting higher. And the very probability of its occurrence is getting lower.

Is it possible to survive in an air crash?

Many people think that this is absolutely impossible. At an altitude of 10 thousand meters it is very cold, there is not enough oxygen, and the landing is unlikely to be mild. However, the facts, as well as the stories of survivors in air crashes, suggest that the possibility of a successful outcome is almost always there.

In the previous paragraph, the most numerous were listed for the victims of the accident, but there are a large number of incidents in which the number of victims was minimal or none at all. Naturally, first of all everything depends on the actions of the pilots and the crew in general, but the passengers themselves, if they do not create panic and remain calm, can be saved in a critical situation.

So how do you survive in a plane crash? A single instruction on how to proceed does not exist, but you can simply know and follow some recommendations at the stage of gathering and boarding an airplane. Well, if an emergency situation does arise, then, instincts will most likely come into play, although it will be better to keep the head cold.

The safest places in the cabin

It is believed that on the plane some areas during the flight are more favorable for survival than the rest (in case of unforeseen circumstances). In general, this is really so. Studies based on accidents that have occurred in the last 30 years, confirm this, as well as survivors of air crashes. Photos of destroyed liners, too, suggest some thoughts. But first things first.

First, the closer to the exit, the better - this is so. The proximity to emergency or regular doors in some situations can save lives, but only if you do not succumb to panic and do everything right. In theory, the opening of emergency exits is the task of the crew, but the passenger can do it, if necessary.

Secondly, the back of the aircraft is usually safer than the front. In the collision of the forehead in the forehead, descent from the runway, fires, etc., the aircraft cabin and the adjacent zones are usually the first to suffer. If the liner loses control, then the tail also lands after the bow. Thus, in some cases not the most convenient places can save a life - here the chance of more or less successful flight completion reaches 66%. The stories of survivors in air crashes often confirm this, however, with one caveat - you need to behave correctly.

Procedure

Survivors in air crashes in Russia or abroad can tell about some nuances that are already known to everyone, but for some reason they are constantly forgotten. It is worth repeating again.

Firstly, you can start preparing at home - to put on comfortable air-conditioned clothes in the airplane, to have something warm in your hand luggage. Preference should be given to cotton and wool, as they burn worse. Also worth paying attention to the convenience of shoes.

Secondly, you need to listen to the crew during the briefing. Yes, of course, those who fly several times a year, these rules seem boring and understandable without any repetition. But once you think about the fact that these instructions can come in handy. Even those who have heard them many times at a critical moment may become confused and panic instead of acting correctly, while the crew regularly undergoes training. The stories of survivors in air crashes confirm that listening to flight attendants is extremely important.

Third, sitting down in its place, it is worth doing two things: do not put heavy bags in the upper compartment, count the number of rows of seats between the exit and yourself, and also remember this number. In a smoke-free environment, visibility will be at zero, and this knowledge can save lives.

Fourthly, as soon as the command has been ordered to fasten the belts, it is necessary to do this. Even when the display turns off, it is better to leave them in the same position. Even if the airliner just goes into the turbulence zone, do not risk your health - headstroke is also not the most enjoyable when traveling by plane.

This is what you need to know and do, just sitting down in your place in a modern liner. Well, if it goes about how you can survive in a plane crash, then it's worth considering some situations, although they have a lot in common. Of course, it's very difficult to act consciously if the danger comes suddenly - an explosion, a collision, etc. But if there is a chance, it's worth using it 100 percent.

Control failure and hard landing

The breakdown of electronic systems and other equipment is quite a rare thing. And if just minor problems still happen and can even go unnoticed by passengers, more serious problems often lead to an emergency landing at the nearest airport. This, however, does not mean that everything is in order - in case of breakdowns, all who are on board must follow the instructions of the crew. In this situation, first of all, everything depends on whether it will be possible for anyone to succumb to panic. There may be unexpected and abrupt maneuvers, a drop in height, in general, the most important thing to do is to fasten and tighten the strap, remove scarves, neckties, chains from the neck, etc., once again think about how to get to the emergency exit and keeping calm.

If it is expected that the landing will be tough, it is worth remembering about a special pose that will protect the body and head from unnecessary injuries. The chair should be in a vertical position, the passenger sits, strongly resting his hands in the backrest in front and puts his head on them. Another option is to bend as much as possible, wrapping your arms around your hips and resting your head on your knees. It was this knowledge that saved the 9-year-old Dutchman, when more than a hundred people died, including the boy's family, when landing in Tripoli. As soon as it becomes clear that something is wrong, even if it's just a zone of turbulence, it's worth removing any sharp objects from the pockets that can inflict wounds.

Decompression

Depressurization of the passenger compartment is also not a very frequent, but a frequent phenomenon. If this is not an explosive decompression, as a result of which the aircraft literally falls apart, then the chance to survive in a plane crash is pretty good. The main problem in this case is hypoxia. In this case, the cabin has oxygen masks that are above the passengers' head and, if necessary, fall out automatically. Once they have appeared, they should be immediately put on, and not just pressed to the face. Those who accompany children should suppress their parents' instincts and take care of themselves first. Yes, in this case it is better to show a healthy egoism, because if the adult loses consciousness, then there will be no one to help the children. Immediately it is worth to prepare for a sudden loss of altitude - according to their instructions, pilots will decrease as quickly as possible. In the rest, again, you should observe peace and follow all the instructions of flight attendants.

In this and the previous case, with a hard landing, you should also beware of fire and smoke. If this happened, first, you need to lower yourself as low as possible and protect the respiratory organs, secondly, cover yourself with a rug or dense clothing to escape from open fire, and third, make your way to any emergency exit, trying to avoid crowds and crush . The stories of survivors of a plane crash in Pago Pago in 1974 are easily illustrated. 97 passengers could not quickly get out of the burning airliner, trying to leave it through the front door, while the four lucky survivors got out through the spare.

Capture aircraft

Thanks to the efforts of all countries to combat terrorism, this situation can be called extremely unlikely. But it's better to know what to do in this case. By and large, behave in approximately the same way as with any other capture in hostages - the aircraft does not fundamentally differ. As in any other of the described emergency situations, you need to try to maintain maximum peace of mind. If someone was injured during the seizure of an aircraft, it is necessary to assist him without putting himself at risk. Do not provoke terrorists to excessive aggression, indignant, shouting or crying loudly. No sharp movements and resistance, especially if there is no necessary skills. When there is a hostage-taking, negotiations begin almost immediately, aimed at their release. If they fail, at some point the assault begins. And here the most clever thing that can be done is to fall to the floor, closing your eyes and ears, while staying away from hijackers. Specially trained people cope with the neutralization of terrorists much better than ordinary people, and in some cases they managed to make do with a minimum of victims who later could tell how to survive in a plane crash. Ultrasound scanner, X-ray machine, special programs that help to select especially suspicious passengers for special inspection - new technologies also help to fight terrorism.

Splashdown

In addition to what was previously said about a hard landing, in this situation, it is also necessary to recall the special vests that are stored under each seat. At the command of the crew or without it, if it became clear that the landing occurred on the water, you need to get it and put it on. After this, it is necessary to leave the aircraft cabin through emergency exits located on the wings. Do not jump if the emergency ladder is not deployed - the height will be about 3 meters. It is necessary to bring the waistcoat into action and slip on your stomach with your feet forward into the water. Then you should wait for help and try to move. A waistcoat will save you from drowning, but he can not save from hypothermia. In 2009, it was this tool that helped the 13-year-old passenger wait for rescuers, which took almost 14 hours to arrive.

About survivors

Man is a creature of incredible possibilities. In extreme situations, many people show miracles of strength, endurance, ingenuity. Someone is just incredibly lucky, but someone is saved thanks to the fact that everything was doing right. There were already several examples of how people who survived a plane crash behaved. But it is worth mentioning a few more.

It is difficult not to remember the famous Spring Vulovich, who could tell how to survive in a plane crash when falling from a height of 10 thousand meters. It can be said that she was just lucky: at the time of the catastrophe, the girl lost consciousness at the tail of the plane, the fall softened the trees and bodies of other passengers, and she was also discovered very quickly, so that despite serious injuries and prolonged rehabilitation, she was able to return to full Life 1.5 years after the tragedy. Nevertheless, it is impossible to deny her will to live and courage.

Of course, there were survivors of air crashes in Russia and the USSR, who showed themselves to be real heroes. Such an example - Larisa Savitskaya, holding the record before Vulovich. Her story about how people survive in air crashes is also worthy of attention. In the summer of 1981, she and her husband were just returning from a wedding trip when a passenger liner collided with a military aircraft. The crew members were killed almost instantly, the aircraft collapsed, and the debris began to fall down. At the moment of the catastrophe, Larisa woke up from the impact and temperature drop. 8 minutes took the fall of the wreckage on which she was, until he landed on the birch grove, softening the landing. For several hours the girl remained unconscious, and when she woke up, she found her husband's body next to her. It was found 2 days later, when rescuers no longer hoped to find the living. By the way, as Larissa admitted, at some point she remembered the episode of the film "Miracles still happen," in which the girl was saved by the fact that she pressed herself against the armchair, even without being fastened to it.

By the way, the film was taken from the story of another girl who could tell how to survive in a plane crash and get to people through the jungle. 17-year-old Juliana Kepke flew with her mother for the Christmas holidays to her father, but the flight was not destined to end safely. From a height of 3 kilometers the plane fell into the depths of the jungle after falling into its wing of lightning and fire. During the next 9 days, the girl, relying on the knowledge of the tropical forests received from her father, tried to reach out to people, and she succeeded. She was the only one who escaped.

So, as already said, the answer to the question, whether it is possible to survive in a plane crash, is positive. There are many examples of both miraculous salvation and successful outcomes through conscious right actions. So do not neglect the boring instructions - they are behind someone's life.