Survival rules · Based on official sources

Jungle Survival Guide: From Just Before the Forced Landing to the Rescue

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The way to survive a forced landing in the jungle is surprisingly simple. Survive the touchdown, get away from fire, keep water and shelter beside the aircraft, and signal so you can be seen from the sky. This guide puts it in order based on the U.S. Army survival manual (FM 21-76), U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety guidance, the U.S. CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs overseas travel safety materials.

1. Just before the forced landing: belt and brace position

• Fasten the seat belt low across the hip bones, untwisted and tight (ICAO guidance).
• Put loose items like phones and water bottles in a bag and secure it under the seat.
• Check the emergency exits and how they open, and listen to the pilot or crew to the end.
• Brace position: Feet flat on the floor, lean forward, lower your head toward the seat in front or your knees, and cover it with your hands. It reduces being thrown around and secondary impacts (FAA cabin safety bulletin).

2. Right after stopping: get away from fire and fuel

If fuel is leaking, it can ignite within minutes. Leave your bags and first get well away from the aircraft. Pull out injured people who can't move. Start treatment and sorting out only after the danger is gone.

3. Stay with the aircraft

The U.S. Army survival manual says most rescues come to survivors who stayed with the aircraft. An aircraft is far easier to see from the air than a person, and it gives you shelter and signaling equipment. Don't chase someone who disappeared or split up to look for a way out. In the jungle you lose your bearings after just a few steps.

4. Reporting your position: ELT and 121.5MHz

• ELT (emergency locator transmitter): It can switch off in the impact or lose its antenna, so check that it's on. Satellites (Cospas-Sarsat) have received only 406MHz ELT signals since 2009 (FAA).
• 121.5MHz is the international aviation emergency frequency. In a mayday, repeat your position (coordinates, notable terrain), headcount and injuries, short and accurate.
• Radio waves are blocked by the forest canopy. Transmit from somewhere high and open, like atop the aircraft or in a clearing, and save the battery.
• If you're Korean, also notify the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular call center, +82-2-3210-0404 (24 hours), in addition to local rescue authorities.

5. Water: always boil or disinfect

The U.S. CDC advises bringing river water or rainwater to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute (3 minutes at about 2,000 m above sea level or higher). Boiling does not remove chemicals. Water purification tablets can also be used. Collect clear rainwater with a clean tarp or container. If you have diarrhea, drink boiled water in small, frequent sips and rest.

6. Shelter and fire

• Build a bed raised off the ground with a roof to avoid damp, insects and snakes (FM 21-76).
• Avoid spots under dead trees or dry large branches. They can fall without warning in wind and rain.
• Even in a wet forest, the inside of dead branches stays dry. Build the fire up starting from small tinder. Never pour aviation fuel on a fire.
• When lightning strikes, don't go under a tall lone tree.

7. Mosquitoes and wildlife

• The Amazon is a malaria, dengue and yellow fever risk area. Use long sleeves, long pants, mosquito repellent and a mosquito net. Consulting about vaccinations and preventive medication before departure is a must (CDC and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency).
• Jaguar: Never run; back away slowly without taking your eyes off it. If it is aggressive, make yourself look big with branches and the like. Attacks on people are very rare (Panthera).
• Caiman: Don't go near the water, especially at dawn, dusk and night, and stay a few meters back from the water's edge.
• Snakes: Don't grab or chase them; back away slowly. If bitten, keep the person calm, immobilize the bitten limb, and evacuate. Do not cut, suck, or apply a tourniquet (WHO).
• Don't touch brightly colored frogs or insects.

8. Signaling: be seen from the sky

Smoke and waving under the forest canopy can't be seen from the air. Prepare three fires in a triangle in an open clearing with sky above and make white smoke with green leaves. Signal in threes, big, and in contrast, using a signal mirror or bright-colored cloth. A search aircraft passes by briefly, so be ready ahead of time.

9. The helicopter rescue moment

After the crew signals you, approach crouching, from the front or side where the pilot can see you. The tail rotor spins fast and is hard to see, so never go toward the tail. Move the injured first, leave your bags, and follow instructions.

10. If rescue doesn't come

Consider moving only when it's clear that water and food have run out and your signals haven't reached anyone. If you move, go downstream along a watercourse, since waterways eventually lead to where people live. Don't jump into the water or trust yourself to a log; walk away from the water's edge.

Before you go: preparing for remote overseas travel

• Check that sightseeing flights and tours are run by an operator with a local license. "No paperwork needed for anything" is a warning sign.
• Bring travel insurance, the Korean foreign ministry's overseas travel safety app and the consular call center number.
• Consult about yellow fever vaccination and malaria preventive medication before departure.

Practice it in a simulation

Reading a list is easy, but recalling it the moment the engine dies and the treetops rush up is hard. Amazon Crash: 42 Hours to Rescue is a free browser game where you make these decisions yourself within seconds (the region, operator and characters are fictional). Check out the game guide too.

References

• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) brace position guidance (Doc 10086)
• U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cabin safety bulletin · 406MHz ELT guidance
• U.S. Army survival manual FM 21-76
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on boiling water and mosquito-borne diseases · Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
• World Health Organization (WHO) snakebite first aid
• Panthera guidance on wild cats · Australia Northern Territory crocodile safety rules
• Air medical helicopter safety rules
• Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs overseas travel safety · consular call center

FAQ

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