NiclasB : My thoughts were running along the lines of the disruption of the object leaves dust residue. This is likely to be silicates - similar to volcanic dust. If the aircraft were to fly through this cloud, would a hazardous condition exist or has the research and technology since 2010 advanced such that it is not anticipated to be a problem.
OldLurker: Running from the storm increases the likelihood of a capsize - even more so than taking the waves side-on. If the absence of shelter, taking a "nose in" approach to the prevailing seas/winds is the safest option.
Yes, I am looking at a single event where the aircrew have the opportunity to react - I just want to ensure that the reaction is the correct one. As the shockwave is a compressive wave there is a hazard from pressure changes. That, with movement of the air, taking it "on the tail" leads to a sudden drop (in milli-seconds, of 100's m/sec) in airspeed (not ground speed) - how would an aircraft respond? Also, the air behind the blast wave is likely to be turbulent and flow non-laminar.