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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that if you are a pilot/driver/captain you stay until the bitter end when shit hits the fan?

60 replies

ProbationProbationProbation · 28/02/2013 07:36

... It be held accountable?

I didn't realise the pilot (if that's the term) of that horrific Egyptian Balloon accident jumped out as soon as it caught fire.
Surely then it just drifted off into space burning because nobody on board would have known how to control it, or what to do in an emergency.

I know the fire was accidental, but surely we rely on the professionals in this instance to at least do some basic damage control?

Surely his actions resulted in more deaths than necessary?

OP posts:
pinkdelight · 28/02/2013 08:25

I think what you're saying is quite an outdated romantic notion of nobility. He signed up to be a pilot, he wanted to fly. Course people are heroes if they save other people's lives, but that should mean that part of the job description is sacrificing yourself with your vessel. Would you die for your job?

Borntobeamum · 28/02/2013 08:25

HollyBerryBush - I didn't realise you were there as a judgemental onlooker.
Whatever happened, it must have been absolutely terrifying and the chap who is still alive does not need people like you judging him and the decision he ultimately made.
There but for the grace of God go I, and all that.

pinkdelight · 28/02/2013 08:26

shouldn't, i mean

FloatyBeatie · 28/02/2013 08:26

Good grief. The thing went up in flames and fell to the ground in seconds. What on earth could the man have done by staying? A ship is different -- it can take hours to go down and evacuation procedures are complex and need supervising. This was just a burning box. I can't even begin to think myself into a state of mind where I could judge this man, rather than think of him simply as one of a crowd of terrified people acting on instinct.

Borntobeamum · 28/02/2013 08:27

And I'm talking about the Englishman who has lost his wife.

VivaLeBeaver · 28/02/2013 08:31

Its also quite possible he sbouted at everyone to jump but they were too scared to.

SouthernComforts · 28/02/2013 08:33

If I was put in a life or death situation at work, my instinct would be to stay alive for my daughter. Sorry.

SouthernComforts · 28/02/2013 08:33

*try to stay alive

MissyMooandherBeaverofSteel · 28/02/2013 08:33

Its so easy to sit in your house and see an awful situation on the news and decide what should have happened.

In reality you know nothing about what happened so its probably best that you don't judge the actions of a guy who was in a terrible accident and is currently in hospital duffering 70% burns.

TandB · 28/02/2013 08:36

I'm always amazed by threads like this. Those of us who are lucky enough not to have been in a situation where it looks like we are about to die horrifically have absolutely no idea what that feels like or how we would react. Everyone has different thresholds of courage and stoicism.

It's probably precisely because of his training that he knew that there was absolutely no way of stopping the crash. And no-one here knows exactly what happened - maybe he was screaming at his passengers to jump until the last possible minute. Or maybe he caught fire instantly and was in such horrific pain that he was entirely incapable of thinking about anything but jumping and ending it. I'd like to see any of the people judging him thinking calmly and rationally while on fire.

Poor man.

TandB · 28/02/2013 08:36

x-posted with viva

Original poster
ProbationProbationProbation · 28/02/2013 08:50

kungfupada I think it was just me doing the judging.

Yes, nobody knows exactly what happened, and yes while I'm sat here drinking coffee watching the news and basing opinions on what I saw. isn't that what we all do

I was just abit [shocked] at the idea of those people being along in a vessel like that.
So I made a judgement.

OP posts:
niceguy2 · 28/02/2013 09:01

The guy probably had literally 1-2 seconds to make a decision and in that moment human instinct of fight or flight (no pun intended) kicked in.

It's impossible and incredibly unfair to judge what someone should or should not have done given that in the time you took to take a sip of your coffee, he had to choose whether his odds of living were higher by jumping or staying.

Backinthebox · 28/02/2013 09:04

Well, my professional training tells me you do everything you can, but that my company don't expect me to die for my job. If we were expected to die if something went wrong that we couldn't control, you'd all find your low cost carrier flights going up in price, as you discovered you can't find people prepared to die for the price you want to pay. Most people with that kind of attitude have already gone to work in the military.

Original poster
ProbationProbationProbation · 28/02/2013 09:12

Perhaps the bitter end was the wrong turn of phrase.

I wasn't demanding he die, I was perhaps naively assuming there would be protocol in such an emergency.

OP posts:
TeacupTempest · 28/02/2013 09:14

I just saw the footage of the balloon. YABVVVU. It all happened so fast and there was clearly nothing that he could have done. If he had stayed he would have died too. They should all have jumped. I can't imagine the horror that occurred in that basket.

MarmaladeTwatkins · 28/02/2013 09:16

WTF?

He's dead isn't he? And you're picking over the bones of this tragedy?

Well, well, well...

ThePathanKhansAmnesiac · 28/02/2013 09:16

I really thought this thread was about the Pope Blush.

Yabvu people just react when they're in mortal danger.

Sirzy · 28/02/2013 09:17

You keep saying your not demanding he should have died but your adamant he should have stayed with the balloon no matter what. Doing that would only have one outcome.

What exactly was it you wanted him to do then?

FloatyBeatie · 28/02/2013 09:20

The video footage is very moving indeed, partly because someone on the balloon from which it is filmed sounds so be praying in Arabic for the poor souls who are dying.

Is there by any chance anyone on the thread who speaks Arabic and can say whether he is praying and what he is saying? It sounds very beautiful indeed, and it seems very touching that the shocking video record of these deaths should have this accompaniment (... if it is prayer? Perhaps it is not after all.)

monkeysbignuts · 28/02/2013 09:21

I agree withlabootin how can you possibly know how you would react unless you were in that situation.
He was reportedly on fire! 70% of his body is burnt, in all honesty I don't think anyone can be expected to stay calm and on board while they are burning to death. Very tragic :(

ThingummyBob · 28/02/2013 09:22

Its a very, very different situation to a stricken ship or plane.

The concordia captain was not facing a life or death situation when he made the decision to abandon ship, the balloon pilot amost certainly was Sad

In a crisis some lead, some follow,some panic and some freeze with fear. Perhaps he was leading the passengers in the basket to jump, but they froze?

niceguy2 · 28/02/2013 09:27

I was perhaps naively assuming there would be protocol in such an emergency.

Maybe. Having spent a lot of time in Egypt it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't but let's for now assume they did.

Now. You have 1-2 seconds to decide if you have a better chance of living by jumping or staying put. Oh by the way you are on fire.

What do you think goes through your mind at a time like that?

a) Aargh shit i'm on fire! Get me out of here! Jump! jump!
b) According to my training and safety protocols I should remain on board, press the magic "don't crash" button and ensure the safety of my customers......

ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 28/02/2013 09:29

The eye witness I saw on the news said the man's head and arm were on fire before he jumped.
This is a shameful premise to base a thread on.

minouminou · 28/02/2013 09:33

The people filming were praying. Very moving.

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