Which exits are initially blocked in a ditching?

• A. 2L and 2R
• B. 1L and 1R
• C. 3L and 3R
• D. 4L and 4R

Answer: (A)

In a ditching, what’s usable right away depends on how water interacts with the aircraft and where the fuselage sits on the surface. Water tends to flood the wing area first, so the exits located over the wings—the two middle doors—become blocked at the outset. That means passengers should head toward the front and rear exits, where the slides can deploy as life rafts and people can evacuate safely onto the water. The other exits aren’t usable initially because of the water near the mid fuselage and the way the aircraft settles in, so the two middle exits are the ones blocked at first.