What happens after you're in a plane crash like OZ 214?
 

The OZ crash got me thinking: in cases like this, how are immigration and customs checks performed? Lots of people on the plane either (a) went straight to the hospital or (b) are fine but their passports--maybe even all their identification--were left behind (and likely destroyed) in the wreckage.

What's the legal status of the people who went to the hospital, anyway? Are measures being taken to ensure nobody can just walk out of the hospital and into the streets of San Francisco without first being formally admitted into the U.S.?

What happens after you're in a plane crash?
 

Was wondering about this recently, particularly relative to international situations. Thought I'd ask, reminded by yesterday's crash at SFO.

Plane crash-lands; emergency evacuation. There are hundreds of people, possibly with a dozen nationalities, few of whom have their passports, wallets, purses on their person. All documents and possessions burn in the fire, and those that don't are kept for the air accident investigators (presumably).

How do they get temporary/new travel documents? How do they prove who they are to their consulate (or, if they're arriving in their home country, to their own authorities)? How long does it take? Where do they spend their time until that happens? Can they be repatriated - whether at their choice or not - without the documents? So many questions.

Just curious.

I'm also curious about the process, and imagine it is kept secret to avoid anyone exploiting the plan or making a sensationalist news story out of it.

I'd also like to know what is done with passengers who willfully ignore the directive to "leave all your personal belongings behind" and bring their suitcases and briefcases down the chute.

I knew two guys on the US Airways flight that landed in the Hudson. One of them said that everyone ignored their carry-ons, except one guy who tried to get an item from an overhead bin; everyone else yelled at him to get the hell off the plane. He left the bag.

Wondered this myself as well..

The airline has all the details of all the passengers. The US authorities already have all the details of incoming passengers.

slightly off topic....but I noticed that AF # 84 from CDG-SFO was diverted to SEA yesterday. We are taking that plane next spring. Would they have gone through customs at SEA? ( the plane eventually made it to SFO but 7 hours late) If SEA is actually our final destination, would we have been given permission to just go home or would we have to go on to SFO and then back?

Yes, the airline and the US authorities have all the details, but if you don't have ID with you, it can be a problem. Returning US citizens won't have fingerprints on file, so how do they 'prove' their identity? If you are a citizen on a connecting flight, you may be in for an even more difficult time - how do you establish your identity to the satisfaction of the airline, so you can get a replacement BP? And without ID, you may find it difficult to clear security (there's another thread about kids who went outside TSA in PHX and couldn't get back in without ID. They ended up stranded while ID and a copy of a birth certificate was fedex'd to them).

This may be a bigger problem for women than for men, particularly bulkhead pax - and for all children. Men are more likely than women to have their cellphone/wallet/ID in their pockets. In these rare instances, I can somewhat understand why some folks might try to grab something from the bin. Landing with no phone, no ID, no $$ - there will be people ready to assist, but not handing out $$ for food, lodging, access to phone service to begin the long process of getting replacement ID. I can't imagine crash landing in a foreign country with nothing - no local contact, no $, no ID, no phone, no way to even contact my embassy to try to get assistance.

For the tech savvy, one option would be to store copies of your passport, ID, insurance cards, credit card company contact info, etc. on the web. I'd imagine getting a new passport would be a lot easier when you can show a copy of your old one.

All of this assumes you will have access - either you have a device with you (I carry no electronics overseas, it would have been in the overhead if I were traveling domestically and sitting in my favorite bulkhead seat) or someone is going to provide free access to such a device.

That's aside from the fact that having all your info accessible online somewhere isn't the same thing as having cash in hand to get to an embassy or passport office and pay for replacement passport (or even lodging or food at the airport after you finally get there).

I can't even begin to imagine going through something like this, possibly being sent to a hospital, and then realizing: now what? I have no phone, no $, don't know anyone local, nothing, don't know where to go to get help. Wow.

I would expect the local consulate would help its distressed citizens.

Btw, after being evacuated from a plane that had smoke in the cockpit, and waiting an hour before being allowed to retrieve my carryons, my passport is now zipped into a pocket all the time. If you don't have such a garment, get one.

As for your electronics, to each their own. My phone is in its holster attached to my belt.

I'm actually less fussed about the passport or the phone (which I never carry overseas anyway).

But I guess I'll make sure I have cash and credit cards on my person henceforth (sigh). And perhaps a copy of my passport (less uncomfortable bulk).

I've heard differing stories about consulate assistance (for US citizens), depending where one is and what the circumstances are. I'm more concerned about this happening abroad, where there might only be one consulate in the country, particularly if I'm on an internal domestic flight.

The pax on this flight, for example: I think many were Chinese or Korean. There are likely not consulates in every international hub - and certainly not for folks from, say, Myanmar or Laos.

I know, folks always get through it somehow, it's just thinking about how overwhelming it can be - not just the crash, but then trying to sort yourself out when you hardly have all your wits about you and are perhaps struggling with other obstacles (language, strange country, etc).

Can you imagine the medical bills in the US? That is why I always have travel insurance, but if I don't have the papers on me then...

Yikes! You're right.

Not just the US, either. Not a plane crash, but I remember reading about a climber who broke his leg in Peru. He actually had good insurance (but little $) and the hospital refused treatment, even anti-biotics or pain meds, for days while they sorted out the coverage with the overseas provider and assured themselves the bills would be paid.

I was asking generally, not specifically about an incident on US soil. Imagine a Brazilian on a plane crash-landing in Germany, or an Australian crash-landing in Japan, or...