I flown over those areas several times, while enroute between the USA and the UK. I remember looking out the cabin window at the ice sheets and the freezing oceam, saying a little prayer to myself, and hoping the aircraft was reliable. Frankly, the chances of survival if a commercial aircraft put down on those freezing wastes (water and ice) is pretty much negligible. What kinds of gear and clothing do the passengers have ... just the normal clothes they were wearing when the boarded. Nowhere close to what they would need to have a good chance of survival.

other Pete