Originally Posted by
212man
Wherever they were planning to go regardless of whether their aircraft went off the end of the runway - it wasn't a diversion to a strange airport! Probably more pleasant to be with family/friends/at home etc, than in some hotel room. Belongings can be brought later as if lost luggage.
When a foreign airline crashes at a tourist destination, there is a good chance that most of the passengers were foreigners planning on heading to hotels as a first stop
Therefore, the hotel thing makes sense to me.