Plane crashes are rare, but when they do, there are usually 95% survivors. These are the world statistics. What is the safest place on a plane during a plane crash, The Sun found out.
Air travel is considered one of the safest types of travel. However, unfortunately, it is not yet possible to get away completely from the tragedies. So, we recall, in the first major plane crash in 2023 in Nepal, a passenger plane crashed with 72 people on board. Only two were able to survive after the crash, they were Nepalese.
So, experts considered the places in the “tail” of the liner to be the safest, although they are not popular with travelers who want to quickly leave the plane in the event of an emergency. According to a study conducted in 2015, the seats in the middle of the cabin had the highest mortality rate – 39%, 38% of deaths were in the front, while in the tail – 32%. At the same time, it was the middle seat at the back of the aircraft that was recognized as the safest (28 percent mortality rate). The worst, i.e. The mid-cabin aisle seat was ranked the most dangerous (44%).
The Aviation Safety Network analyzed 65 air crashes and found that the back seat was the safest in more than half of the cases, based on survival rates. For example, Aviation Safety Network Executive Director Harro Ranter said: “I can't think of anything that would make sitting in the front safer and in a real crash, the best chance of survival is usually in the back.”
There are other ways that passengers can ensure safety while flying. Here are some tips the experts listed:
- First, wear the right clothes. One of the most important things to wear on an airplane is your shoes, and they should not be removed when boarding. A study by Boeing found that half of plane crashes occur during takeoff and landing. After a crash, fire or glass fragments can block the passage, making it difficult to escape barefoot.
Christine Negroni, air crash expert and author of Crash Detectives: Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Crashes, said there are many things passengers can do to help themselves after a crash. “One of the best things people can do is wear shoes for takeoff and landing. Many airlines still don't require this, and I think that's the way it should be. When people exit an aircraft that has been in an accident, there may be fire, as well as debris, it may be cold and damp. You could step on a big shard of aluminum.”
The choice of clothes for a flight is really worth taking seriously. For example, consider that it is better to avoid flammable materials, as well as baggy clothing, so you should choose clothes made of cotton or wool instead of polyester or nylon, and tighter trousers instead of loose dresses.
“Mostly they make mistakes because of caution. Opt for sneakers over high heels, opt for natural fibers over synthetics, and opt for tight-fitting over loose-fitting clothing,” she added. - Second, remove sharp objects from pockets. For example, a Boeing pilot advised passengers to always take sharp objects out of their pockets. The reason is that during an emergency, you can damage both yourself and the emergency ladder, along which passengers urgently descend.
- Thirdly, when landing, calculate the seats to the nearest emergency exit. It is advisable to count the number of seats between you and the nearest emergency exit. This will come in handy in case of an accident if there is poor visibility due to smoke and save valuable time.
- Fourthly, do not lock your fingers. This position of the fingers contributes to injuries, experts are sure. During emergencies, passengers should place their heads between their knees and their hands on top to protect the back of their skulls. “In the event that passengers have to cover their heads, do not clasp your fingers behind your head, but place one hand on top of the other. If something falls on your hand or head, you still have one good hand,” explained one of the experts.
Help: The good news is is that, according to statistics, fatal accidents involving aircraft are rare: 1 case for every 5 million flights.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “Scientists have found that obesity eats the brain.”