'It is a miracle that people survived' Travel expert issues stark flight passenger warning after Toronto plane crash
At least 18 people were injured in the crash when Delta Flight 4819 from Minneapolis attempted to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport
Travel expert Simon Calder has called it "a miracle" that all passengers survived the Toronto plane crash, praising the "extraordinary work" of the cabin crew during evacuation.
Speaking to GB News, Calder issued urgent safety advice for passengers who may find themselves in similar emergency situations.
All passengers and crew were evacuated from the craft following the crash in Toronto
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At least 18 people were injured in the crash when Delta Flight 4819 from Minneapolis attempted to land at the Canadian airport. Among the injured was a child, who is reported to be in good condition at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.
Speaking to GB News, Calder offered stark advice to anyone who may find themselves in a situation involving a plane collision.
The aviation expert expressed particular concern about passengers attempting to retrieve their belongings during evacuation.
"Do not, as some of the people on this plane did, do not carry any cabin baggage, just get yourself out, otherwise you will be obstructing other people," Calder emphasised.
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At least 18 were injured after the plane flipped as it landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport
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He attributed the survival of all passengers to modern aviation safety standards, stating it was "a testament to the way that safety is engineered into aircraft".
Calder offered insight into potential causes of the crash, noting the challenging weather conditions at Toronto Pearson.
"We do know that conditions were difficult, they'd had over the past few days a foot of snow. There was gusts in the forecast up to 40 miles an hour," he explained.
The aviation expert drew parallels with a similar incident from 1999 involving a China Airlines flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong, which also flipped over.
Simon Calder told GB News that it was a 'miracle' that everyone made it out of the craft
GB News
"The aircraft in that case came in and actually one wing touched the runway that then broke off. The other wing is now providing lots of lift, and that forces the aircraft over," Calder said.
The cause of Monday's crash remains under investigation by both Canadian and US authorities.
"There will be very, very good investigation by the Canadian authorities and indeed the US authorities to find out what happened," Calder concluded.
Two runways at Toronto Pearson will remain closed for several days while investigators examine the crash site.