Worldwide, about 1,000 people die in air disasters each year, while road traffic accidents claim as many as 700,000 lives. In this sense, flying may be the safest mode of transportation. However, once an airplane accident occurs, very few passengers survive.
The six minutes after takeoff and the seven minutes before landing are the most accident-prone periods, internationally referred to as the "terrible 13 minutes." According to statistics from aviation medical experts, 65% of accidents in China occur within these 13 minutes. Therefore, when flying, you should follow regulations and fasten your seatbelt before takeoff. Common in-flight emergencies include sudden decompression of the pressurized cabin, fire, or mechanical failure. Usually, the captain and flight attendants will briefly announce the decision for an emergency landing and instruct passengers on what to do. In the case of a water landing, flight attendants will explain how to use life vests, but passengers must still keep their seatbelts fastened before an emergency evacuation. If the aircraft is at an altitude between 3,660 and 4,000 meters, the oxygen masks above passengers’ heads will automatically drop, and you should put one on immediately and start breathing oxygen—smoking is strictly prohibited. If there’s a fire inside the cabin, you can use carbon dioxide extinguishers or powder extinguishers (not allowed in the cockpit); for fires that are non-electrical and non-fuel-related, use water extinguishers. Passengers must follow crew instructions, try to crouch down, stay low, hold their breath, or cover their mouths and noses with wet towels to prevent inhaling toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.
However, air disasters during ascent or descent often happen very suddenly, leaving no time to warn passengers. You should recognize the various warning signs of an airplane crash:
1. The aircraft shakes violently;
2. The plane descends sharply;
3. Smoke appears inside the cabin;
4. Black smoke appears outside the aircraft;
5. The engines shut down, and the constant roar of the aircraft disappears;
6. A loud noise is heard during high-altitude flight, and dust fills the cabin—this indicates a rupture in the fuselage and sudden decompression.
Emergency Measures
Choose a flight route with the fewest layovers to reduce the number of encounters with the “terrible 13 minutes.” After boarding, identify the location and route to the nearest emergency exit from your seat. If you have heavy or hard luggage overhead, move it to the floor beside your seat. Maintain the most stable safety posture: bend forward, grip your knees with both hands, rest your head on your knees, and stretch your feet flat against the floor. When smoke appears in the cabin, ensure your head is as low as possible because smoke rises. Hold your breath, dampen a towel or handkerchief with a drink, cover your mouth and nose, and then breathe. Crouch or crawl toward the exit.
When the cabin undergoes “explosive decompression,” immediately put on your oxygen mask and ensure it fits tightly—otherwise, the oxygen in your respiratory tract and lungs could be “sucked out.” To increase cabin pressure and oxygen concentration, the aircraft will rapidly descend below 3,000 meters, and you must keep your seatbelt securely fastened. If the aircraft crashes over the ocean, put on your life vest immediately. As the plane is falling, shout to yourself loudly: “Don’t pass out, stay awake ! Stay alert!” and try to keep your eyes wide open. Use this kind of “desperate shouting” self-psychological stimulation to avoid being knocked unconscious.
The moment the aircraft crashes and a loud impact is heard, quickly unbuckle your seatbelt, dash towards the rear of the cabin toward the opening where light is coming in, and escape the wreckage before the fuel tank explodes. Because planes usually crash nose-first, the fuel tank explosion occurs about ten seconds later, and the fire takes several more seconds to spread—and it always spreads from the front to the back of the aircraft.