HC
Surely you can make the connection between inter-twined passengers crammed in like sardines and the difficulty that is likely to be experienced trying to evacuate a ditched helicopter before they drown.
Who in such a situation is realistically going to follow HUET discipline and allow their fellow passenger to exit first and who is going to have the room to manoeuvre to correctly activate their re-breather should their exit be impeded?
I am constantly amazed at the advertised seating capacity of virtually all helicopters. Japanese subway trains offer more breathing space for passengers. An eye-watering number of often 'well-fed' passengers are being squeezed into North Sea helicopters and being bulked up further with survival suits and life jackets. It's not on to suggest that people are merely concerned with comfort.