The fearless flight attendants on board Asiana flight 214

Many people think that being a flight attendant is nothing but a glamorous job. Well, it is far from that. Nine years ago today, on July 6, 2013, Asiana flight 214 utilizing a Boeing 777-200ER faced an uneventful situation upon landing in San Francisco. Out of the 291 passengers on board, 288 survived. Thanks to the fearless flight attendants who used their skills and professionalism to save the remaining passengers inside the wreckage.

Just for your information too, the three passengers who died as a result of the crash were thrown out of the aircraft during impact. They were seated at the rear most section of the plane. Two flight attendants were also thrown out but survived.

Things would have been worse if not for the flight attendants who immediately sprung into action.

A routinely flight turned uneventful

It was like any normal flight on July 6, 2013 for Asiana 214 flying from Incheon to San Francisco. The cabin crew headed by their lead crew, then 40-year old Lee Yoon-Hye, carried out their normal safety briefing before departure. They went through their emergency procedures should anything happen. Little did they know that what they reviewed will be put into action on an actual situation, and no longer a simulation.

While landing at San Francisco International Airport, the Boeing 777-200ER was flying too low, eventually causing the undercarriage to slam into the runway’s sea wall. The fuselage hit the runway with brute force, causing the stabilizers and engines to separate from the aircraft. The plane spun 360 degrees before coming to a rest at RW28L.

Evacuating 288 passengers

Lee and her team immediately sprung into action after getting the command from the flight deck to immediately evacuate the aircraft after a cabin crew reported spotted fire at door 2L. The flight attendants used what they learned during their training to immediately evacuate all remaining 288 passengers. Lee was also seen carrying injured passengers on her back outside the aircraft and would return to the burning wreckage to evacuate more.

Some cabin crew was also fighting the fire while the rest were evacuating other passengers through the slides. When rescue arrived, knives were provided to flight attendants to cut loose the seatbelts of injured and trapped passengers.

The Asiana flight attendants made several sweeps in the burning cabin to make sure that there was no one left. Amidst the thick black smoke and flames burning around the aircraft, Lee and her cabin crew team made sure that all were accounted for. Lee was the last to evacuate the cabin.

The flight attendants also made sure to assist all injured passengers on the ground. They carried on with their duties as safety custodians until all passengers were brought to nearby hospitals.

The unsung heroes of the sky

Some of the cabin crew were injured while carrying out the evacuation. Amidst all the pain, these fearless flight attendants stayed true to their primary role as safety professionals. Despite being injured and suffering a broken tailbone, Lee Yoon-Hye did not stop. She must have been in terrible pain but her heart for service lead her and her team to become heroes that day.

Now, this is the reality of the job of our flight attendants. Indeed, it is true that they train immensely the prayer will never happen. Why? Despite putting their lives at risk, they are there to make sure that every passenger is safe, especially during uneventful situations like this.

In the aircraft, your cabin crew is the first responders during any given emergency, and that is how important their role is in aviation safety.

An important ingredient to become a flight attendant

While I always mention that it takes the right attitude, confidence, selflessness, and dedication to become a cabin crew, there is still one important factor. That is bravery.

The danger that these fearless flight attendants face in every flight is real. Anything can happen, and that’s why you have flight attendants on board.