4. It may not have been a factor in the cockpit thought process, but they turned the fuel to their advantage, instead of worrying about crashing on terra firma, the fuel assisted in keeping the aircraft afloat.
The crew had no option here; and in any event, IF GIVEN A CHOICE, empty tanks (i.e. full of air) would have been a better flotation medium.
But there's an interesting side issue - I don't hear any mention of fuel spillage, so the A320 tank integrity seems pretty robust.
