Since the moment the Japan Airlines passenger plane collided with a smaller military aircraft on a runway in Tokyo on Tuesday (2), the crew took only 18 minutes to safely evacuate all 367 passengers from the aircraft.
If you have ever sat in the back seats of an aircraft, you know that under normal circumstances it would likely take more than 18 minutes to exit the plane.
How did the Japanese manage to safely evacuate so many people amid such a serious accident?
Reconstructing the scene based on crew reports, employees of Japan’s second-largest airline said on Wednesday (3) that the crew followed emergency procedures exactly as the textbooks dictate, starting with the first rule: control of panic.
As soon as the Airbus A350 jet came to a stop, the cabin crew asked passengers to remain calm while orange flames engulfed large areas of the plane and smoke quickly spread through the cabin.
The crew quickly assessed the situation and decided which of the eight emergency exits were safe to use. They then used short, direct commands, as they are trained to do, such as “leave your luggage” and “not this door,” authorities reported.
Some passengers interviewed at the airport credited the rapid evacuation with saving their lives.
“I heard an explosion about 10 minutes after everyone got out of the plane,” said 28-year-old Tsubasa Sawada. “I can only say it was a miracle; we could have died.”
The emergency protocol stipulates that the crew must obtain permission from the cockpit to open any emergency exits. The captain remained near the two front exits and gave the green light for evacuation.
All cabin crew are trained once a year on evacuation procedures, simulating various scenarios, such as what to do when they cannot communicate with the cockpit, authorities reported.
After ensuring that all passengers had slid safely down the three emergency slides, the crew and pilots completed the evacuation at 6:05 PM (09:05 GMT), or 18 minutes after landing.
The accident is the first significant one involving the Airbus A350, Europe’s main long-haul jet, which has been in service since 2015. It is also the first time a passenger aircraft built primarily with lightweight carbon composites has burned completely.
The A350-900 has been certified for a full load of up to 440 passengers to be evacuated in 90 seconds, using only half of the exits.
It was not immediately clear how much of the 18 minutes was spent on the physical descent of passengers down the slides, but safety experts said interviews with passengers will be examined worldwide to help shape future evacuation procedures.
JAL officials said that the crew of flight 516 followed the appropriate procedures but also praised the passengers for the orderly exit from a full flight that included eight preschool-aged children.
Aviation safety agencies have warned for years that pausing to collect hand luggage endangers lives during an evacuation.
So, on your next trip, in case of an emergency, remember to follow the crew’s commands. They are constantly trained to save your life.
Source: Reuters