Former pilot Hans Mast's emergency warning: "It could save your life."

Airplanes are considered the safest means of transportation in the world, with statistics indicating that one serious accident is recorded for every 2.4 million flights. However, occasionally fatal incidents occur , such as the one that occurred yesterday in India , when flight AI171 suffered an accident after losing power during takeoff . The aircraft crashed in a residential area, and almost all passengers died except one , who has become known as the miracle of seat 11A.

Ramesh Vishwakumar , a 38-year-old Briton, has been identified as the only passenger and so far the only survivor of the crash of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner . The man appears in the information as having boarded, and his seat number corresponded to the one closest to the emergency exit . However, authorities still cannot determine what Vishwakumar did to save his life , but theories include a possible jump and a key location.

Airlines strongly urge passengers to heed the advice flight attendants always give before takeoff, as it can be extremely helpful if anything unexpected happens. Now, former pilot Hans Mast has revealed his golden rule for flying, asserting that following the proper instructions can save lives in the event of an emergency.

The golden rule of a former airline pilot that can save you

Mast says one of the easiest ways travelers can ensure flight safety is by familiarizing themselves with their surroundings before takeoff , and maintains that locating the nearest exit and having a "mental map" of how many rows away they are "can save lives."

"As soon as I board a plane, I always make a note of the nearest emergency exit , counting the number of rows of seats between my location and that exit," he told Travel & Leisure magazine.

In his opinion, "passengers should always know how many rows separate them from the nearest exit and should count the number of seats separating them from the gate ." This is especially useful when, in an accident, the plane fills with smoke and visibility is limited.

A 2008 study by the University of Greenwich already revealed that passengers sitting in the rows closest to the exit are more likely to survive in the event of a crash because they can evacuate more quickly than those sitting further away .