Very common theme in multiple incidents, year in year out, including this one: PIC and F/O cannot see what is happening externally behind the cockpit, leading to sub-optimal decision making.
On many aircraft even the passengers can see what is happening beneath/ ahead of the aircraft (and with their own eyes what is happening with wings/ engines) ... why shouldn't the pilots have a similar facility during an emergency? Why should they rely on second-hand reports from relief pilots or cabin crew?
Surely fixed cameras covering both wings (plus/minus beneath fuselage) would be useful in these circumstances? Cost: Unknown, but surely not completely prohibitive. Seems strange to me that pilots should have such massive instrumental knowledge about their aircraft, yet have such limited visual situational awareness. Even my SUV has better rearward visibility with an effective camera.