Crash survival: “Your seat may determine life or death”

▲A diagram of the “airplane safety index” circulating online. (Photo / Screenshot from the internet)

Travel Center / Taipei Reporting

The terrifying crash of an Asiana Airlines passenger plane at San Francisco Airport may have frightened air travelers, but this incident also proves that even in the most horrific disasters, survival is possible. Experts say that where you sit on a plane can determine whether you live or die in the event of a crash.

According to a report by ABC News, statistics from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) show that only one in every 1.2 million flights results in an accident. Although the risk is low, passengers can still take preventive measures to prepare for emergencies.

Professor Ed Galea of the University of Greenwich has spent over 25 years analyzing people’s responses to emergencies. He says the first few seconds of an incident are the most dangerous. He points out: “You are responsible for your own life. If you know what to do, you have a better chance of surviving.”

Galea studied the seating charts of over 100 plane crashes and interviewed dozens of crash survivors. He believes the golden rule for flying is to choose a seat as close to an exit as possible. He says that, on average, you need to pass five rows of seats to safely escape a burning plane. He also found that seats at the back of the plane are generally safer, as are aisle seats.

According to the Transportation Safety Board, between 1983 and 2000, the survival rate in U.S. plane crashes was 95%. But in the unfortunate event of a crash, Galea reminds passengers not to panic. He says: “If you haven’t thought about what to do or prepared for it, it will be overwhelming and you’ll be at a loss when it happens. Being prepared means you’ll react appropriately in an emergency.”

Discovery TV conducted a bold experiment on aviation safety last year, crashing a Boeing 727 in the desert. The pilot parachuted out at the last moment, and the plane crashed belly-first, nose down, breaking apart on impact. The results showed that passengers in the front of the plane suffered the greatest impact, with those in rows one to seven likely not surviving, while quickly exiting the aircraft was crucial during a crash—seats within five rows of an exit offered better chances.

Ben Sherwood, president of ABC News and author of “The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science That Could Save Your Life,” said that most plane crashes occur in the first three minutes after takeoff and the last eight minutes before landing—about 80% of crashes happen within these 11 minutes. Therefore, instead of flipping through magazines or taking off shoes, stay alert during these times. (Source: Central News Agency)