Why aviation experts are furious at Moscow plane crash evacuation footage

The footage of the Russian Aeroflot plane crash evacuation has aviation enthusiasts and experts distressed - and not just because of the tragedy itself.

Video of the evacuation process shows passengers disembarking clutching their hand luggage, in direct opposition to flight crew instructions.

"What's really concerning here is if you look at the vision, you can see them carrying bags... and there's passengers inside taking videos," aviation writer and author Airline Ratings Geoffrey Thomas told 7 News.

He says it's "extremely likely" these decisions costs people their lives.

"Clearly this is another situation where passengers getting their bags off, instead of just getting off the airplane, have tragically caused people to lose their lives," he said.

"It's just a real tragedy that this has happened, and it's been a problem for some time, with passengers not obeying crew instructions to get off the airplane as soon as possible."

The death toll of the crash has risen to 41 - meaning fewer than half of the passengers on board were successfully evacuated.

As the rear of the plane was on fire, the only escape route was the two slides at the front of the plane.

A passenger told Komsomolskaya Pravda the plane was struck by lightning, but no official cause has been given.