Yemeni airliner down?

[Robin42]

Originally Posted by Hunter58

as sarcastic as it may sound, there were not enough 'real' french passports on board...

I don't think this has anything to do with racism, but with cognitive dissonance, which would have been evoked widely, if there had been too much talk about survivors. According to the German Newspaper FAZ, the passengers knew the aircraft was in danger and had already put on their life vests. Bahiya, the now only survivor, mostly suffering from dehyration and hypothermia, does not remember how she made it into the sea. I translate a short paragraph:

The passengers knew, that the aircraft was in danger. They had been told to put on their life vests, she said. The life vest saved Bahiya's life, as she did not learn to swim. At sea, she grabbed hold to a part of wrackage. In the beginning, she heard other survivors near to her, who later on probably drifted away or drowned. She was unconcious several times. At dawn, Bahiya was alone. A Comorian fishing boat spotted her and took her on board. She was conscious, and asked for water.

(my italics) Source : FAZ online, Jul 2, 2009, http://www.faz.net/s/RubB08CD9E6B08746679EDCF370F87A4512/Doc~EC5C26B02409543A2BB45638847B42CEF~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent. html

I noticed the widely spread notion, that the rescue of Bahiya would have been a miracle. It wasn't at all, especially not in the case if the pilots attempt ditching, as they obviously did here. At around 30 percent of all incidents over water there are some survivors, for some time, depending on impact speed and water temperatures.

The waters during winter at Southern Hemisphere should not have been that warm, much in contrast to AF447 incident. How could, in the latter case, the French government spread the notion of a near zero proability for survivors at the very first day? And give orders for a requiem be held at Notre Dame de Paris, just two days later? If one is in urgent need for miracles, here you go.

The incident also points to the need for a legal duty for coast side located commercial airports to be equipped with at least a single SAR plane and some speedy lifeboats.