Passengers found grabbing bags during Emirates evacuation

Dubai, Sep 6 (PTI) Seconds after the Emirates flight fromThiruvananthapuram, with 300 people, slid along the runway atthe airport here early last month, several passengers stood upfrom their seats and "grabbed their belongings" despiteinstructions to leave their bags behind, says an initial probereport released today. The Boeing 777-300 aircraft had 282 passengers, mostlyIndians, and 18 crew members when it crash-landed at the Dubaiinternational airport on August 3, but there were nocasualties among those who were on board while a firefighterwas killed. At that time, Emirates had said there were 226 Indians onthat plane. In its preliminary report on the incident, UAE’s GeneralCivil Aviation Authority today said the aircraft, which triedto go-around with its landing gear retracting, began to "sinkback onto the runway" before hitting the ground. According to the report, several passengers deplanedcarrying their baggage despite instructions from thecabin crew against it. Citing cabin crew members, the 28-page report said thatwhen the aircraft slid along the runway, passengers started tounfasten their seatbelts and stand up. "An announcement was made for the passengers to remainseated. When the aircraft came to rest, some passengerswere screaming, grabbing their belongings, and asking thecabin crew members to open the doors," it said. The cabin crew members followed the operator’s safetyinstructions that prohibit passengers taking their carry-onbaggage during an evacuation, and they instructed thepassengers to leave their bags behind, the report added. "However, several passengers evacuated the aircraftcarrying their baggage. Footage of the evacuation showed anumber of passengers outside the aircraft with their baggage,"the watchdog said. As many as 21 passengers, one flight crew member and onecabin crew member sustained minor injuries while another cabincrew person was seriously injured. "Approximately nine minutes after the aircraft came torest, a firefighter was fatally injured as a result of theexplosion of the centre fuel tank," the report said. As per the report, soon after the aircraft runwayawareness advisory system announced ‘long landing longlanding’, the plane became air-borne in an attempt togo-around. Seconds later, the landing gear lever was selected to theup position and subsequently, the landing gear unlocked andbegan to retract, it added. While the air traffic control tower issued clearance tocontinue straight ahead and climb to 4,000 feet, the aircraftreached a maximum height of about 85 feet RA (Radio Altitude)at 134 knots IAS (Indicated Air Speed), with the landing gearin transit to the retracted position. "The aircraft then began to sink back onto the runway…seconds before impact with the runway," the report said. PTIRAM IASARDDK