Toronto plane crash survivors seen taking luggage amid emergency exit; travel experts weigh in
The Federal Aviation Administration said all 80 people on board were evacuated, with 19 treated for injuries, and three of them were taken to local hospitals with critical injuries, Fox News Digital reported.
Crash landing survivor Pete Koukov joined "America's Newsroom" to discuss the harrowing ordeal.
Koukov shared video on Instagram showing passengers quickly evacuating through emergency doors as water was sprayed to extinguish the plane.
In the video, a flight attendant can be heard saying, "Leave everything. Drop it."
Some passengers can be seen wearing backpacks with others carrying luggage off the aircraft.
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital that there are some consequences of gathering belongings during an emergency.
"The problem is that slows down the process of getting out, and you don't know whether that is going to cost lives," said Leff.
He added, "In the moment, though, passengers aren't thinking clearly about macro consequences. They may see just what is right in front of them."
Leff noted that grabbing items that are needed, such as prescription medicine, may be a reason why.
"This incident has fewer bags being taken than most because the plane's upside-down position [prevents] people from going into overhead bins for those belongings," Leff said.
He said it is most likely only items near a passenger's seat were taken.
Brandon Blewett, the Texas-based author of "How to Avoid Strangers on Airplanes," told Fox News Digital that in the event of an evacuation, he would defer to the flight crew for instruction.
"I get that people are attached to their things, and maybe they knew there was no fire risk, but I'd always err on the side of getting out first and worrying about replacing lost material items later," said Blewett.
In a YouTube video posted by Delta titled, "Safety Video March 2024," the airline shares instructions on what to do in case of an emergency.
"In the event of an evacuation, leave all bags behind. Carrying baggage will slow the evacuation," an official says in the video.
Fox News Digital reached out to Delta for further comment.
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