[Ingtar]

As to the items found up to 8 miles away: this sounds more like what would be found if the passengers opened a door to distract the hijackers. Likely, whatever brave person performed that act would have been sucked out.

[cake_crumb]

"As to the items found up to 8 miles away: this sounds more like what would be found if the passengers opened a door to distract the hijackers"

Yep. Decompression.