BTW what do 12 pax do on a 738 with 35 pax?
The answer - evidently, not much, when it comes to an emergency.
If you haven’t already, check out the footage on the Rumours and News sub-forum, where the USN personnel race to the aircraft to find ONE overwing exit open (on the starboard side, anyway) and no great urgency to get off a 737 IN THE WATER! You can even see the pilots contemplating their careers (or the lack thereof) whilst the aircraft (note, not a BOAT) bobs in the water. When you ditch in the sea, get out via the front exits - quickly. Personally, I reckon this was appalling and the loss of life, given the numbers of crew and pax, inexcusable...