WHEN A PASSENGER ON A BATAVIA AIRLINES plane at the Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali saw some smoke coming out of an engine as the plane was preparing to leave, he jumped up yelling “fire” and started a panic rush to the emergency exits. When more of the 148 passengers started seeing the smoke and some people charging to the exits, the panic spread throughout the entire cabin.
As the people stormed to the emergency exits and began triggering the inflatable slides, the flight attendants were helpless to stop them. In the rush to evacuate, some people leapt from the plane before the slides were inflated, incurring serious injuries as they slammed onto the pavement below. Altogether 10 people required hospitalization,
A Batavia Air spokesman denied that the plane was on fire saying, “What happened was the plane’s engine was being started, so there was combustion and (exhaust) came out. That’s natural.”
Firegeezer adds: This reminds me of a favorite saying of the late Frank Brannigan’s: Panic will save your life ….. as long as you are the first one to panic and you’re headed in the right direction.
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