The dangerous mistake that can cost passengers their lives during evacuation has been identified

Flight emergencies are rare, but every passenger should still be prepared for them. Most recently, a serious incident involving a passenger plane occurred in Japan, where all civilians were successfully escorted out of the cabin, all because they did not make a dangerous mistake.

This is the opinion of Professor Ed Galea, Director of the Fire Safety Engineering Group at the University of Greenwich. In a comment to the BBC, he drew attention to the fact that the passengers left the plane empty-handed.

"It's only natural that during an evacuation, travelers worry about their belongings as much as their own health. Shock often prevents them from thinking clearly, so when you board a plane, you need to remember: in case of evacuation, you cannot take things from the overhead compartments.

The main condition for a successful rescue is speed. If every passenger starts retrieving their belongings from above and below the seats, they and people who slow down may be injured.

"I don't see a single passenger on the ground, in any of the videos I've seen, who has their luggage with them... If people were trying to take their hand luggage, it would be really dangerous because they would slow down the evacuation," the professor explained.

Travelers are often advised to keep essentials like documents, medications, and phones with them. This ensures they have communication equipment and aids in facilitating rescue efforts if needed.

However, if retrieving a bag poses a risk to safety, it's better to forego this step altogether.