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At least 15 people have died and more than 150 are missing after a boat carrying 300 passengers capsized near Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said

“Approximately 300 people boarded a pirogue in The Gambia and spent seven days at sea before the boat capsized near Nouakchott on July 22, 2024,” the IOM said in a statement on Wednesday.

The United Nations migration agency said 120 people had been rescued by the Mauritanian Coast Guard, while efforts continued to locate the missing individuals.

“Among the survivors, 10 people were urgently referred to hospitals for medical care, and four unaccompanied and separated children were identified,” the IOM said.

Ibba Sarr, a fishmonger at a waterside fish market in Nouakchott, said that strong winds in the past two days had moved the bodies closer to the shore and he saw around 30 bodies being collected from the beach.

“Surely other lifeless bodies will be discovered in the next two days,” Sarr told the news agency Reuters.

The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands, typically used by African people seeking asylum or better work opportunities in Europe, is one of the world’s deadliest. Summer is its busiest period.

More than 19,700 people reached the Canary Islands using the Atlantic route between January 1 and July 15, 2024 representing a 160 percent increase compared to the same period last year, the IOM said.

But nearly 5,000 people have also died at sea in the first five months of 2024 trying to reach the Spanish archipelago, according to migration rights group Walking Borders.

Earlier this year, the European Union promised Mauritania financial support worth 210 million euros ($229m) to tackle migration and provide humanitarian aid.

But according to rights groups and migration analysts, the 27-member bloc’s policy of externalising migration management through such deals is unlikely to deter people who are fleeing conflicts and economic instability from trying to enter Europe and seek asylum.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera
 
Alaska Air crew detail 'chaos' after mid-air blowout

US transport safety officials investigating a mid-air emergency on a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane have released thousands of pages of documents, including testimony describing the "chaos" in the moments after the blowout of an unused door.

It came as a two-day National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing about the 5 January incident on an Alaska Airlines flight got underway.

During the event, Boeing told investigators it will introduce design changes to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The blowout triggered the US aviation giant's second major crisis in recent years.

In the more than 3,000 pages of documents released ahead of the hearing, the plane's crew described the violent decompression that resulted from the panel detaching mid-flight.

The plane's co-pilot told the investigation there was a "loud bang, ears popping, my head got pushed up into the [head-up display] and my headset got pushed, not off my head, but up almost off my head."

"It was chaos," they said.

"And then, just all of a sudden, there was just a really loud bang and lots of whooshing air, like the door burst open," a flight attendant said.

"Masks came down, I saw the galley curtain get sucked towards the cabin."

At the hearing, Boeing executives were grilled about the manufacture of the aircraft involved in the incident and the lack of paperwork explaining who carried out work on the door plug before the blowout.

A preliminary report by the NTSB detailed how, after a repair at a Boeing facility, the panel had four bolts missing, which should have helped keep it in place.

"The safety culture needs a lot of work," said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, adding that the plane maker needs to take steps address the issues.

"They are working on some design changes that will allow the door plug to not be closed if there's any issue until it's firmly secured," said Boeing's senior vice president for quality Elizabeth ****.

The NTSB and Boeing have yet to find out who was responsible for removing and reinstalling the door plug.

But Ms **** said two workers who are likely to have been involved are now on paid administrative leave.

The incident was the latest major blow to Boeing's reputation.

It resulted in the grounding of Max 9 planes around the world for two weeks, a ban on increasing production, a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe and a management shakeup.

The company recently said it would plead guilty to a fraud charge related to fatal crashes of two of its 737 Max planes more than five years ago.

Last week, Boeing said it had lost $1.4bn (£1.1bn) between April and June.

It has also named aerospace industry veteran and engineer Robert K 'Kelly' Ortberg as its next chief executive.

BBC
 
Passenger plane carrying 62 people crashes in Brazil

Airline Voepass has confirmed the 62 people on board included 58 passengers and four crew members.

The plane had been headed for Sao Paulo's international airport Guarulhos when it crashed in the city of Vinhedo.

SKY News
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Passenger plane carrying 62 people crashes in Brazil

Airline Voepass has confirmed the 62 people on board included 58 passengers and four crew members.

The plane had been headed for Sao Paulo's international airport Guarulhos when it crashed in the city of Vinhedo.

SKY News
Click to expand...
Update

Everyone on board the Voepass flight that crashed in the Brazilian state of São Paulo has died, according to local authorities in Valinhos, near the city of Vinhedo, where the plane went down.
 
All bodies recovered after 62 die in Brazil plane crash

All bodies have been recovered from the site of a plane crash in the Brazilian state of São Paulo which killed everyone on board, the authorities have confirmed.

Teams had been working to find and identify victims of the disaster after a twin-engine turboprop operated by airline Voepass came down in the town of Vinhedo.

The number of casualties was revised upwards on Saturday to 62.

Voepass said earlier that the ATR 72-500 was carrying 57 passengers and four crew between Cascavel in the southern state of Paraná to Guarulhos airport in São Paulo city. But it later confirmed there was another unaccounted-for passenger on the flight.

Footage circulating on social media showed a plane descending vertically, spiralling as it fell.

The aircraft crashed in a residential area, but no-one on the ground was injured. Officials said only one home in a local condominium complex was damaged.

The state of São Paulo said it concluded its operation to remove the victims' bodies from the site at 18:30 local time (22:30 BST) on Saturday.

It added that the bodies - 34 males and 28 females - were being moved to a police morgue in the city of São Paulo, where they will be identified and released to the families.

Two of the victims, the captain and first officer, have already been identified, the state confirmed.

It added that family members will be staying in a hotel in the city to help with identifying the victims - 38 families have arrived so far.

Earlier, Capt Maycon Cristo, a spokesman for the fire department, said teams were relying on a number of factors to help identify passengers.

These include documents and the position of bodies in relation to seating, as well as mobile phones recovered from some of the victims.

The plane crash is Brazil's worst since 2007, when a TAM Express plane crashed and burst into flames at São Paulo's Congonhas airport, killing 199 people.

At this stage, it is not known what caused the ATR 72-500 to crash.

Authorities said the flight recorders had been retrieved.

ATR, the French-Italian plane maker, said it would co-operate with the investigation.

According to the tracking website Flightradar24, flight 2283 had taken off from Cascavel at 11:56 local time (14:56 GMT) on Friday and was due to arrive at 13:40.

The last signal received from the aircraft was about 20 minutes before it was scheduled to land.

Brazil's civil aviation agency said the plane, which was built in 2010, had been "in good operating condition, with valid registration and airworthiness certificates".

The four crew members on board at the time of the accident were all duly licensed and had valid qualifications, it added.

The Uopeccan Cancer Hospital in Cascavel told BBC Brasil that two of its trainee doctors were among the passengers who died.

The moment the passenger plane crashed was witnessed by local residents, while others described damage to their homes.

Luiz Augusto de Oliveira told Reuters that he, his wife and their maid were at home when "suddenly we saw the aircraft exploding in the backyard of my house".

He said: "At the time of the collision, we thought it was a helicopter breaking down, due to the noise."

He added that everyone in the house was unharmed and while there was some damage, it was "as minimal as possible, it was material goods. I just have to thank God for the way the aircraft crashed."

Another resident, Nathalie Cicari, told CNN Brasil she had been having lunch when she heard a "very loud noise very close by", describing it like the sound of a drone but "much louder".

"I went out on the balcony and saw the plane spinning. Within seconds, I realised that it was not a normal movement for a plane."

Brazil's President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed solidarity with the families and friends of the victims at an event where he was speaking.

“I have to be the bearer of very bad news and I would like everyone to stand up so that we can have a minute of silence," he told his audience.

He posted on social media that news of the crash was “very sad". "All my solidarity to the families and friends of the victims,” he said.

São Paulo's state Governor, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, has declared three days of mourning.

BBC
 
Indian passenger arrested for making ‘bomb’ remark

A 42-year-old Air India passenger, Manoj Kumar, was arrested at Cochin International Airport on Sunday morning after making a threatening comment to a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer.

While undergoing pre-embarkation security checks at the X-ray Baggage Inspection System (XBIS) checkpoint, Kumar reportedly asked the CISF officer, “Is there any bomb in my bag?”

This statement prompted immediate security concerns and triggered a swift response from airport authorities.

The airport security team promptly contacted the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), who thoroughly inspected Kumar’s cabin baggage and personal belongings.

After completing their checks, Kumar was handed over to local police for further investigation.

Despite the incident, the Air India flight to Mumbai departed as scheduled.


AAJ News
 
Three people, including two army personnel, died and one was injured after a landslide struck a bus on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in the Dasu area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kohistan district in the early hours of Monday, officials said

Speaking to Dawn.com, Upper Kohistan District Police Officer (DPO) Mukhtiar Ahmad said a Hunza-bound passenger bus of the Northern Areas Transport Corporation was struck by big boulders, resulting in the deaths of three passengers.

He said two of the deceased were army personnel and one was a civilian while one person was injured. Ahmad said two of the deceased belonged to Gilgit-Baltistan while the third was from Rawalpindi.

He said the bodies and the injured were moved to the District Headquarters Hospital Dasu.

Meanwhile, the KKH was blocked at several points between Bisham and Diamer after heavy rain lashed the region on Sunday night.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Abdur Rehman said a heavy downpour hit the area and the KKH was blocked at several points due to which passengers travelling to and from Islamabad were stuck.

The KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a weather advisory on Monday morning saying more rains were expected in parts of the province.

It said the rains may cause landsliding, thereby increasing flow in rivers and streams, which may result in urban flooding and strong winds.

The PDMA requested the general public to avoid unnecessary travel and visiting mountainous regions in the north, as well as adopt safety precautions during bad weather conditions.

On Friday, 12 members of a family were killed in their sleep when the roof of their mud house collapsed due to heavy rainfall in Maidan tehsil, Upper Dir, a rescue official said.

Punjab authorities on alert as monsoon rains expected till Sept 4​

Separately, Punjab authorities were put on alert due to monsoon rains expected in several districts within the next 24 hours.

A statement from the Punjab PDMA spokesperson said the monsoon spell was expected to last till Wednesday.

It added that rains were expected in Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Khushab, Sargodha, Mianwali and Chiniot today and on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, thundershowers and rain were also expected in Lahore, Kasur, Narowal, Sahiwal, Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Jhang and Mianwali.

The statement said that intermittent rains were expected on Tuesday and Wednesday in the districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Khanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Leh, Rajanpur and Rahimyar Khan.

According to PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia, the flow of water in the Indus, Chenab, Ravi, Jhelum and Sutlej rivers was at a normal level, as well as in the canals of Punjab.

There was also a “normal situation” in Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan’s hill torrents, DG Kathia said. He added that the water capacity in the Mangla Dam was at 79 per cent while Tarbela Dam was at 100pc capacity.

Kathi said that at present, there was no danger of flooding in the rivers of Punjab.

“In view of instructions from Punjab Chief Minister [Maryam Nawaz], PDMA and other relevant authorities have been put on alert,” DG Kathia.

He added that all resources were being used to protect citizens.

The public was requested to take precautionary measures during monsoon rains, as well as contact the PDMA helpline 1129 in case of an emergency.

Source: Dawn News
 
Airplane crashes in Swabi

A small trainee plane crashed in the Gandaf area of Swabi on Tuesday, but fortunately, no casualties were reported.

According to local authorities, the crew aboard the training aircraft managed to save their lives by using parachutes moments before the crash. Both crew members escaped unscathed, though the plane was completely destroyed on impact.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but initial reports suggest that a technical malfunction may have led to the incident.

Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly after the crash and are conducting a thorough assessment of the situation.


www.samaa.tv

Airplane crashes in Swabi

A small training plane crashed in the Gandaf area of Swabi on Tuesday. Fortunately, both crew members escaped unharmed using parachutes. The cause of the crash is under investigation, with initial reports suggesting a technical malfunction.
www.samaa.tv www.samaa.tv
 
Air India jet diverted to remote Canadian airport after hoax bomb threat

An Air India flight travelling from New Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada on Tuesday due to a hoax bomb threat posted online.

A total of 10 flights have been grounded after receiving similar false threats over the past 48 hours, according to Indian media reports.

Among the affected flights were the Air India Delhi-Chicago flight, an IndiGo flight from Dammam to Lucknow, an Air India Express flight from Ayodhya to Bengaluru, a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai, an Akasa Air flight from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, an Alliance Air flight from Amritsar to Dehradun-Delhi, and an Air India Express flight from Madurai to Singapore.

Two additional IndiGo flights and one more Air India flight also received fake bomb threats on Monday.

As a safety precaution, Flight AI127, operating from Delhi to Chicago on Tuesday landed at the Iqaluit Airport in response to the security threat.

In response to a hoax bomb threat, Air India has initiated a re-screening process for both the aircraft and passengers of Flight AI127, which was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada. The airline stated that it has engaged local agencies at the airport to assist passengers until they can continue their journey.


english.aaj.tv

Air India jet diverted to remote Canadian airport after hoax bomb threat

Several other Indian airline flights also received threat
english.aaj.tv
 

Over 25 Flights Disrupted After Bomb Threats; Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air Worst Hit​


The spate of bomb scares targeting Indian airlines continued on Saturday after at least 25 flights operated by Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air and other airlines were disrupted after bomb threats, said sources.

The IndiGo airline received bomb threats for its five international flights- 6E 11, 6E 17, 6E 58, 6E 108, and 6E 184, said officials. The airline said they are working closely with the authorities and taking all necessary precautions for the safety and security of passengers.

The IndiGo flight 6E 17 was operating from Mumbai to Istanbul, while flight 6E 11 travelling from Delhi to Istanbul. The airline said its 6E 184 flight, operating from Jodhpur to Delhi, was grounded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport after the bomb threat.

“Flight 6E 184, operating from Jodhpur to Delhi received a security-related alert. The aircraft has landed in Delhi and customers have disembarked the aircraft, we are coordinating with the security agencies as per procedure. Ensuring the safety and security of our customers and crew remains paramount in all facets of our operations,” IndiGo airline said in an official statement.

Air India & Akasa Air Flights Hit​


The Air India airline sources said that at least five flights with numbers AI 101, AI 105, AI 126, 119, and AI 161 were disrupted following the bomb scare. The airline has not yet officially confirmed the incident.

Meanwhile, Akasa Air Airline confirmed that some of their flights operating on October 19 were disrupted following security alerts. However, the airline denied disclosing the number of flights affected. The airline sources said five of its flights were disrupted.

“Some of our flights operating on October 19, 2024, have received security alerts today. The Akasa Air Emergency Response teams are monitoring the situation and are in touch with the security and regulatory authorities. We are following all safety and security procedures in coordination with local authorities and the Akasa Air teams on the ground are prepared to assist passengers to ensure their safety and comfort,” the Akasa Air airline said.

The airline sources also claimed that five flights each being operated by Air Asia and SpiceJet also received security alerts, leading to disruption in their regular operation.

Worrying Trend: Bomb Threats Hit Indian Airlines​


An Air India Express flight (IX-196) flying from Dubai to Jaipur made an emergency landing at the Jaipur International Airport after it received a bomb threat via email during the wee hours of Saturday.

The authorities confirmed that nothing suspicious was found after the plane landed in Jaipur with 189 passengers on board. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

Earlier in the day, a London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi (UK17) was diverted to Frankfurt, Germany, after a bomb threat. In a statement early Saturday morning, an airline spokesperson said the flight landed safely at the Frankfurt airport and mandatory checks were conducted.

Since Monday, at least 35 flights have been diverted or forced into emergency after receiving such threats, prompting the civil aviation ministry and authorities to implement stricter norms to deal with such situations.

www.news18.com

Over 25 Flights Disrupted After Bomb Threats; Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air Worst Hit

The spate of bomb scares targeting Indian airlines continued on Saturday as at least 15 flights operated by Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Airlines received bomb threats, officials said.
www.news18.com www.news18.com
 
Indian airplane enroute to London faces bomb threat

fter receiving a bomb threat on Indian airline flight from Ahmedabad to London, the Ahmedabad Air Traffic Controller contacted Karachi Air Traffic Controller.

The Pakistani Air Traffic Controller contacted the pilot of the airplane through radio communication.

The captain of the Indian plane asserted to handle the flight and will safely land the plane at its destination.

Under the International Aviation Laws, the Karachi Air Traffic Controller then escorted the captain through the Pakistani border.

It is pertinent to mention here that an Air India flight from Mumbai to London declared an emergency onboard after receiving a bomb threat an hour before landing today. The incident added to a series of bomb threats targeting multiple flights this week, according to NDTV.

As per the Indian media, the Air India flight AI129, which departed from Mumbai at 7:05 am IST, was en route to London when the emergency was declared.

The aircraft was “squawking 7700,” a code used by pilots to indicate a general emergency.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the Boeing 777 circling over East England before landing safely at Heathrow Airport at 12:05 pm UK time.

This bomb threat was just one of several reported today.

In total, five Air India flights, two Vistara flights, and two IndiGo flights received bomb threats, marking the fourth consecutive day of such incidents.

In total, 20 aircraft have been targeted by bomb threats in the past four days.


ARY News
 
Karachi business community announces new airline

The business community of Karachi has announced the launch of a new airline, ‘Air Karachi,’ ARY News reported.

According to reports, businessman Hanif Gohar revealed that the airline has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and a request for a licence has been submitted to the federal government.

In the initial phase, Air Karachi plans to lease three aircraft. Retired Air Vice Marshal Imran, formerly of the Southern Command, has been appointed as the airline’s CEO.

Hanif Gohar further stated that the project is being initiated with an investment of Rs 5 billion, with each shareholder contributing Rs 50 million.


arynews.tv

Karachi business community announces new airline

KARACHI: The business community of Karachi has announced the launch of a new airline, 'Air Karachi,' ARY News reported. According to reports, businessman
arynews.tv arynews.tv
 

Indian airliner makes emergency landing in Karachi​


An Indian flight bound for Jeddah was reportedly diverted to Karachi's Jinnah International Airport following a medical emergency involving a passenger onboard.

According to aviation officials, the IndiGo aircraft flying from New Delhi had to make an emergency landing in Karachi after a 55-year-old male passenger became critically unwell when the plane entered Pakistani airspace.

Despite the cabin crew administering oxygen, the man's condition worsened, prompting the unscheduled landing.

Acting on humanitarian grounds, the pilot contacted the Karachi Air Traffic Control and requested permission for an emergency landing.

Once clearance was granted, the flight was diverted to Karachi, where it landed safely.

A medical team from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority immediately boarded the aircraft and provided the passenger with medical assistance, stabilising his condition.

The passenger, an Indian Muslim, also received medication.

After the resolution of the issue, the flight departed from Karachi and returned to Delhi instead of continuing to Jeddah, airport sources said.

This is not the first instance of international cooperation in the case of emergencies as several Indian flights have landed in Karachi, as Pakistan owns a key transit air corridor over its territory.

www.thenews.com.pk

Indian airliner makes emergency landing in Karachi

KARACHI: An Indian flight bound for Jeddah was reportedly diverted to Karachi's Jinnah International Airport following a medical emergency involving a passenger onboard.According to aviation...
www.thenews.com.pk www.thenews.com.pk
 
FearlessRoar said:

Indian airliner makes emergency landing in Karachi​


An Indian flight bound for Jeddah was reportedly diverted to Karachi's Jinnah International Airport following a medical emergency involving a passenger onboard.

According to aviation officials, the IndiGo aircraft flying from New Delhi had to make an emergency landing in Karachi after a 55-year-old male passenger became critically unwell when the plane entered Pakistani airspace.

Despite the cabin crew administering oxygen, the man's condition worsened, prompting the unscheduled landing.

Acting on humanitarian grounds, the pilot contacted the Karachi Air Traffic Control and requested permission for an emergency landing.

Once clearance was granted, the flight was diverted to Karachi, where it landed safely.

A medical team from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority immediately boarded the aircraft and provided the passenger with medical assistance, stabilising his condition.

The passenger, an Indian Muslim, also received medication.

After the resolution of the issue, the flight departed from Karachi and returned to Delhi instead of continuing to Jeddah, airport sources said.

This is not the first instance of international cooperation in the case of emergencies as several Indian flights have landed in Karachi, as Pakistan owns a key transit air corridor over its territory.

www.thenews.com.pk

Indian airliner makes emergency landing in Karachi

KARACHI: An Indian flight bound for Jeddah was reportedly diverted to Karachi's Jinnah International Airport following a medical emergency involving a passenger onboard.According to aviation...
www.thenews.com.pk www.thenews.com.pk
Click to expand...

A few months ago, a Saudi plane needed an emergency landing (a passenger got sick) but India didn't let them. That plane eventually landed in Karachi.

Good to see Pakistan showing big hearts unlike India.

Here was the incident I was referring to: https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/20...dia-refuses-entry-for-sick-bengali-passenger/

Saudi plane lands in Karachi after India refuses entry for sick Bengali passenger

A Saudi Airlines aircraft made an emergency landing in the port city after its Riyadh-bound flight from Dhaka saw a passenger’s health deteriorate during the flight on Tuesday.


As per sources, Saudia flight, SV 805, departed from the Bangladesh capital city at 3:57am and was flying above the Indian airspace when the health of one of its passengers, a 44-year-old Bangladeshi citizen, worsened mid-flight.

The condition of Abu Tahir, the Bengali passenger, was bad as he suffered from high blood pressure and kept vomiting, airline sources said.

Following the passenger’s health, the pilot diverted the aircraft towards Mumbai and sought permission from the Air Traffic Controller in Mumbai for a humanitarian landing.

By the time the air traffic controller could issue permission, the plane had taken the landing approach towards Mumbai. The ATC sought the nationality and other details of the affected passenger and refused to offload the Bangladeshi Muslim passenger.

The Saudi plane was refused entry into the Indian territory, citing the presence of Bengali passengers who were on board the flight.


After receiving instructions from the Mumbai ATC, the pilot sought Karachi Air Traffic Controller for permission to land a flight in the port city after which the aircraft was flown towards Karachi and touched down at the Jinnah International Airport at 7:28am.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) medical team took emergency measures at the airport with doctors arriving to treat the patient as soon as the plane landed.

The Bengali passenger on board the plane was examined by the doctor present at the spot who provided medical aid to him. Following the check-up, the plane flew to Riyadh from Karachi.
Click to expand...
 
  • Author, Sofia Ferreira Santos
  • Role, BBC News
  • 25 December 2024, 07:34 GMT
    Updated 12 minutes ago
A passenger plane has crashed with 67 people on board in Kazakhstan, local authorities say.
Preliminary reports suggest there are 25 survivors, 22 of whom have been taken to hospital, Kazakhstan's emergency ministry said.
The plane, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, caught fire as it went down near the city of Aktau but the fire has since been put out, officials said.
It is not yet known what caused the crash.

There were 62 passengers and 5 crew members on board the Embraer 190 aircraft, the transport ministry reported.
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 was en-route from Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny in Russia. Reports say it was diverted because of fog.
The BBC has contacted Azerbaijan Airlines and Embraer for comment.


www.bbc.com

Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan

www.bbc.com www.bbc.com



Sad news. Om Shanti to all those who lost their life due to this. Mostly tourists 😞
 
Bhaag Viru Bhaag said:
Click to expand...

'Russian air defence system' downed Azerbaijan Airlines plane in deadly crash - Reuters​


The Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed killing 38 people was downed by a Russian air defence system, according to four Reuters sources.

The Embraer 190 passenger jet was en route from Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it changed course.

It crashed around two miles from Aktau in Kazakhstan while making an attempt to land after flying east across the Caspian Sea, killing 38 people and injuring all of the other 29 survivors.

The aircraft had diverted from an area of Russia in which Moscow has used air defence systems against Ukrainian drone strikes in recent months.

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the plane making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball.

Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft lying upside in the grass.

People can be heard praying as oxygen masks are lowered in the plane's cabin in footage filmed by a passenger before the plane went down.

One Azerbaijani source told Reuters that preliminary results of the investigation showed the plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system, and its communications were paralysed by electronic warfare systems on the approach into Grozny.

"No one claims that it was done on purpose," they said. "However, taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft."

Euronews, citing Azerbaijani government sources, reported a preliminary investigation found a Russian surface-to-air missile was fired at the plane during drone air activity above Grozny.

Shrapnel hit the plane as the missile exploded next to the aircraft mid-flight, according to the network, while pictures showed the damage to the wreckage.

The damaged aircraft wasn't allowed to land at any Russian airports, despite requests from the pilots for an emergency landing, and it was ordered to fly towards Aktau, the sources said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Thursday it would be wrong to speculate before the end of the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Russian, Azerbaijani and Kazakhstani officials have all called for investigations into the crash.

Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said preliminary information indicated the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.

Azerbaijan is observing a national day of mourning, with flags lowered across the country on Thursday.

Traffic stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence.

Nazakat Asadova, the wife of survivor Zulfugar Asadov, said: "He got up early in the morning, prayed early and left the house at almost six o'clock.

"He said, God willing, at 12 to 1pm, I'll be landing already. Then we heard on TV that the plane had crashed.

"Then his name came up on TV and on the lists. They said that people died, but Zulfugar Asadov survived."

news.sky.com

'Russian air defence system' downed Azerbaijan Airlines plane in deadly crash - Reuters

Some 38 people were killed and the 29 survivors were all injured when the plane came down in Kazakhstan.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 
FearlessRoar said:

'Russian air defence system' downed Azerbaijan Airlines plane in deadly crash - Reuters​


The Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed killing 38 people was downed by a Russian air defence system, according to four Reuters sources.

The Embraer 190 passenger jet was en route from Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it changed course.

It crashed around two miles from Aktau in Kazakhstan while making an attempt to land after flying east across the Caspian Sea, killing 38 people and injuring all of the other 29 survivors.

The aircraft had diverted from an area of Russia in which Moscow has used air defence systems against Ukrainian drone strikes in recent months.

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the plane making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball.

Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft lying upside in the grass.

People can be heard praying as oxygen masks are lowered in the plane's cabin in footage filmed by a passenger before the plane went down.

One Azerbaijani source told Reuters that preliminary results of the investigation showed the plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system, and its communications were paralysed by electronic warfare systems on the approach into Grozny.

"No one claims that it was done on purpose," they said. "However, taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft."

Euronews, citing Azerbaijani government sources, reported a preliminary investigation found a Russian surface-to-air missile was fired at the plane during drone air activity above Grozny.

Shrapnel hit the plane as the missile exploded next to the aircraft mid-flight, according to the network, while pictures showed the damage to the wreckage.

The damaged aircraft wasn't allowed to land at any Russian airports, despite requests from the pilots for an emergency landing, and it was ordered to fly towards Aktau, the sources said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Thursday it would be wrong to speculate before the end of the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Russian, Azerbaijani and Kazakhstani officials have all called for investigations into the crash.

Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said preliminary information indicated the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.

Azerbaijan is observing a national day of mourning, with flags lowered across the country on Thursday.

Traffic stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence.

Nazakat Asadova, the wife of survivor Zulfugar Asadov, said: "He got up early in the morning, prayed early and left the house at almost six o'clock.

"He said, God willing, at 12 to 1pm, I'll be landing already. Then we heard on TV that the plane had crashed.

"Then his name came up on TV and on the lists. They said that people died, but Zulfugar Asadov survived."

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'Russian air defence system' downed Azerbaijan Airlines plane in deadly crash - Reuters

Some 38 people were killed and the 29 survivors were all injured when the plane came down in Kazakhstan.
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Sad if this is really the truth.
 
Russia warns against 'hypotheses' after Azerbaijan Airlines crash

The Russian government has cautioned against promoting "hypotheses" about the cause of the crash of a Russia-bound passenger plane that killed 38 people in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Some aviation experts suggested that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had been hit by air defence systems over the Russian republic of Chechnya and pro-government media in Azerbaijan quote officials as saying a Russian missile was responsible.

Before it went down near the Kazakh city of Aktau, the plane was diverted across the Caspian Sea, from its destination in Chechnya to western Kazakhstan.

Twenty nine of the 67 people on board survived. Azerbaijan held a national day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash.

"This is a great tragedy that has become a tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people," President Ilham Aliyev said on Thursday.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "It would be wrong to put forward any hypotheses before the investigation's conclusions. We, of course, will not do this, and no-one should do this. We need to wait until the investigation is completed."

The chief prosecutor in Kazakhstan said later that the investigation had not yet come to any conclusions.

But some commentators in Azerbaijani media say that Azerbaijan expects Russia to admit shooting down the plane.

Several TV channels, which are under strict control of the Azerbaijani government, on Thursday started broadcasting interviews with experts who have openly spoken about the possibility that Russia was responsible.

AnewZ channel said a preliminary investigation had concluded that the plane had been hit by shrapnel from a surface-to-air missile from Russia's Pantsir-S defence system.

Another pro-government website, Caliber, quoted government sources as saying that no-one was claiming the plane had come under attack intentionally, but that Baku expected an apology from Russia.

When asked about the reports, the chief prosecutor's office in Baku told the BBC that every version was being investigated.

As they try to avoid annoying Russian President Vladimir Putin, it will be very difficult for the Azerbaijani government to blame Russia directly unless it admits to shooting down the plane.

It seems that the investigation committee comprised of Azerbaijani and Kazakh officials possibly already have evidence for this, but they are waiting for Russia to announce it first.

Moscow will then have to answer questions such as why Russia did not close its airspace if there was military activity, and why it did not let the plane land as soon as possible - instead of directing it towards Aktau for landing.

A surviving passenger told Russian TV he believed the pilot had tried twice to land in dense fog over Grozny before "the third time, something exploded... some of the aircraft skin had blown out".

The plane was redirected to Aktau airport, some 450km (280 miles) to the east. Footage shows the aircraft heading towards the ground at high speed 3km (1.9 miles) short of the runway, before bursting into flames as it lands.

Kazakh authorities have recovered the flight data recorder and an investigation is under way. Shortly after the crash, reports from Russian state-controlled TV said the most likely cause was a strike from a flock of birds.

But that kind of collision typically results in the plane gliding towards the nearest airfield, aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia told Reuters news agency. "You can lose control of the plane, but you don't fly wildly off course as a consequence," he said.

Justin Crump of risk advisory company Sibylline said the pattern of damage inside and outside the plane indicated that Russian air defence active in Grozny may have caused the crash.

"It looks very much like the detonation of an air defence missile to the rear and to the left of the aircraft, if you look at the pattern of shrapnel that we see," he told BBC Radio 4.

Chechnya has already been hit by Ukrainian drone strikes this month and authorities in neighbouring Ingushetia said the Russian region had been targeted for the first time since the war in Ukraine began.

A shopping centre was hit when a drone was shot down in nearby North Ossetia, killing one woman, reports said.

Those on board were mostly Azerbaijani nationals, but there were also some passengers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Video footage showed survivors crawling out of the wreckage, some with visible injuries.

The injured were taken to hospital. On Thursday, Azerbaijan's Azertac news agency said seven were in a good enough condition to fly back to Baku.

Azerbaijan Airlines told reporters that the plane had been fully serviced in October and had no technical malfunctions.

Embraer, a Brazilian manufacturer and a smaller rival to Boeing and Airbus, has a strong safety record.

BBC
 
Azerbaijan says plane hit by 'external interference' over Russia before crash

Azerbaijan's transport minister has said the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on 25 December was subjected to "external interference" and damaged inside and out, as it tried to land in Russia's southern republic of Chechnya.

"All [the survivors] without exception stated they heard three blast sounds when the aircraft was above Grozny," said Rashad Nabiyev.

The plane is thought to have come under fire from Russian air defence systems before being diverted across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, where it crashed with the loss of 38 lives.

The Kremlin has refused to comment, but the head of Russia's civil aviation agency said the situation in Grozny was "very complicated" at the time and a closed-skies protocol had been put in place.


www.bbc.com

Azerbaijan says plane hit by 'external interference' over Russia before crash

A minister says all the survivors "heard blast sounds" over Grozny before the plane was diverted to Kazakhstan.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Russia may be responsible for downed Azerbaijani plane, says US

White House spokesman John Kirby has said the US has seen "early indications" that Russia may have been responsible for the downing of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on 25 December, killing 38 people.

Mr Kirby did not elaborate further, but told reporters the US had offered assistance to the investigation into the crash.

The plane is thought to have come under fire from Russian air defence systems as it tried to land in Chechnya before being diverted across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, where it crashed.

The Kremlin has refused to comment, but the head of Russia's civil aviation agency said the situation in Chechnya was "very complicated" due to Ukrainian drone strikes on the region.

Mr Kirby said the indications the US had seen went beyond widely circulated photos of the damaged plane, the Washington Post reported.

Aviation experts and others in Azerbaijan believe the plane's GPS systems were affected by electronic jamming and it was then damaged by shrapnel from Russian air-defence missile blasts.

Azerbaijan has not accused Russia, but the country's transport minister said the plane was subject to "external interference" and damaged inside and out as it tried to land.

"All [the survivors] without exception stated they heard three blast sounds when the aircraft was above Grozny," said Rashad Nabiyev.

Mr Nabiyev said investigators would now examine "what kind of weapon, or rather what kind of rocket was used."

However, pro-government MP Rasim Musabekov was clear: "The plane was shot down over Russian territory, in the skies above Grozny. Denying this is impossible."

He told AFP news agency the plane had been damaged and the pilot had asked to make an emergency landing in Grozny. Instead of being directed to nearby airports, he said it was "sent far away" across the Caspian Sea without GPS.

Flight attendant Zulfuqar Asadov described the moments when the plane was hit by "some kind of external strike" over Chechnya.

"The impact of it caused panic inside. We tried to calm them down, to get them seated. At that moment, there was another strike, and my arm was injured."

The pilots of the Embraer 190 plane are credited with saving 29 of those on board by managing to land part of the plane, despite themselves being killed in the crash.

The Kremlin has refused to comment on the increasing number of reports that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane was hit by Russian air defence.

"An investigation into this aviation incident is underway and until the conclusions are made as a result of the investigation, we do not consider ourselves entitled to give any assessments," said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Kazakh authorities have been treating the injured and working closely with Azerbaijan on the investigation.

Reports in Baku suggest both Russia and Kazakhstan have proposed having a committee from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - a regional organisation dominated by Russia - investigate the crash, but Azerbaijan has instead demanded an international inquiry.

BBC
 
Putin apologises over Azerbaijan plane crash, without saying Russia at fault

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, in which 38 people were killed - but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible.

In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the "tragic incident" had occurred when Russian air defence systems were repelling Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must "stop spreading disinformation" about the strike.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to land in the Russian region of Chechnya - forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea.

The Azerbaijan Airlines jet then crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 on board.

Most of the passengers on the flight were from Azerbaijan, with others from Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

It is believed most of those who survived were seated in the plane's rear.

Flight J2-8243 had been en route from the Azerbaijan capital of Baku to the Chechen capital of Grozny on 25 December when it came under fire and was forced to divert.

The Kremlin released a statement on Saturday noting Putin had spoken to Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev by phone.

"(President) Vladimir Putin apologised that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured," it said.

In the rare publicised apology, Putin also acknowledged the plane had repeatedly tried to land at Grozny airport in Chechnya.

At the time, the cities of Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were "being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks", he said.

The Kremlin read-out made no direct admission that the plane had been struck by Russian missiles.

In a statement released a shortly after the Kremlin's, Ukrainian President Zelensky said the damage to the aircraft's fuselage was "very reminiscent of an air defence missile strike", adding that Russia "must provide clear explanations".

"The key priority now is a thorough investigation that will answer all questions about what really happened."

Prior to Saturday, the Kremlin had refused to say whether it was involved in the crash with authorities saying they were awaiting investigation results.

But Russian aviation authorities had earlier in the week said the situation in the region was "very complicated" due to Ukrainian drone strikes.

Aviation experts and others in Azerbaijan believe the plane's GPS systems were affected by electronic jamming and it was then damaged by shrapnel from Russian air defence missile blasts.

Survivors had previously reported hearing loud bangs before the plane crashed, suggesting it had been targeted.

Azerbaijan had not officially accused Russia this week, but the country's transport minister said the plane was subject to "external interference" and was damaged inside and out as it tried to land.

US defence officials on Friday had also said they believed Russia was responsible for the downing.

Moscow noted that Russian investigators had launched a criminal investigation. Azerbaijan had already announced it would launch an investigation.

The Kremlin said that Azeri, Kazakh and Russian agencies were "working closely at the site of the disaster in Aktau region".

Even before Putin's message on Saturday was released, several airlines from Azerbaijan had already begun suspending flights to most Russian cities.

The suspension will remain in place until the investigation into the crash is complete, one airline said.

BBC
 
Two dead after small plane crashes into California building

Two people have died and 18 others were injured after a small plane crashed into a commercial building in southern California, officials say.

Ten people were taken to hospital with injuries, the Fullerton Police Department said in a post on X on Thursday afternoon. Eight others were treated for injuries and released at the scene.

The single-engine Van's RV-10 crashed at 14:15PST (20:15GMT), according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Officials have provided no further details about how the crash occurred. It is unclear whether the two people who died were workers or were on board the plane.

Police say they are evacuating buildings in the area, and are asking the public to stay away from the crash site.

Congressman Lou Correa, who represents the area of Orange County, about 25 miles (40km) south of Los Angeles, said that the building that was struck is a furniture manufacturing business.

In a post on X, Correa said that at least a dozen of the victims are factory workers.

Aerial photos of the scene show parts of the plane inside the building. The crash also sparked a fire which was extinguished by fire crews.

Security footage recorded from a building across the street shows a fiery explosion, according to local news outlets.

"People are just shaken over the situation," witness Mark Anderson told KRCA-TV.

"It was just a large boom, and then one of the people went out and said, 'Oh my gosh, the building's on fire.'"

The area where the plane crashed is near the Fullerton Municipal Airport, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Disneyland.

The plane appears to have been turning back to the airport shortly after takeoff, according to KRCA-TV.

Around 100 people were ultimately evacuated from the Michael Nicholas Designs furniture factory, according to the Orange County Register newspaper.

Juanita Ramirez, an employee, told the newspaper that she heard a loud bang before seeing a large ball of fire flying towards her.

"It felt like a dream," she said.

This is the second plane to crash in the area in the past two months, according to CBS, the BBC's US partner.

On 25 November, another plane crashed into a tree roughly one block away from this most recent crash. No major injures were reported in that crash.

BBC
 
Jeju Air black box data missing from crucial minutes before crash, South Korea ministry says

The two black boxes on the Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab jet involved in the worst aviation disaster on South Korean soil stopped recording about four minutes before the accident, the transport ministry said on Saturday.

South Korean investigators previously said the flight data and cockpit voice recorders were key to finding out the cause of last month's crash that killed 179 people.

It happened about four minutes after the pilot of the airliner operated by Jeju Air (089590.KS), opens new tab reported a bird strike.

Authorities investigating the crash plan to analyse what caused the black boxes to stop recording, the ministry said in a statement.

The voice recorder was initially analysed in South Korea, and, when data was found to be missing, sent to a U.S. National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, the ministry said.

Black box recorders collect data on communications involving pilots in the cockpit as well as how the aircraft systems perform in-flight.

Jeju Air 7C2216, which departed the Thai capital Bangkok for Muan in southwestern South Korea, belly-landed and overshot the regional airport's runway on Dec. 29, exploding into flames after hitting an embankment. Only two people survived - crew members who were sitting in the tail section.

Two minutes before the pilots declared a Mayday emergency call, air traffic control gave caution for "bird activity".

Sim Jai-dong, a former transport ministry accident investigator, said the discovery of the missing data from the budget airline's Boeing 737-800 jet's crucial final minutes was surprising and suggests all power, including backup, may have been cut, which is rare.

The transport ministry said other data available would be used in the investigation and that it would ensure the probe is transparent and that information is shared with the victims' families.

Some members of the victims' families have said the transport ministry should not be taking the lead in the investigation and that it should involve independent experts, including those recommended by the families.

The investigation has also focused on the embankment the plane crashed into, which was designed to prop up a "localiser" system used to assist aircraft landing, including why it was built with such rigid material and so close to the end of the runway.

SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...-recording-4-minutes-before-crash-2025-01-11/
 
I travelled with my family to Lahore from Manchester via Jeddah. I used Saudia and I have to say I was not impressed. Until PIA reintroduces their direct flights to the UK, we have to use these other airlines and usually a connecting flight. Common routes are via Saudi Arabia, Istanbul, Doha, UAE and other middle eastern airports.

The problem for us was actually on the return. Our return flight was scheduled for 0150. At approximately 0015 they informed us it would be delayed 2 hours because of fog. What Lahore Airport and Saudia didn't tell us was that the flight had been diverted to Islamabad and the delay was going to be many hours. At 0300 long after the scheduled departure time they decided to let us know the flight would now leave at 2230 (more than 18 hours late). Most passengers had no choice but to either got to a hotel or home. No expenses were covered. Fortunately we had family in Lahore, so at least somewhere to stay.

At approximately 1500 the same day, Saudia contacted me to say that we had been rescheduled for a flight on the 18th of January (2 weeks later) and that I was no longer checked in for the 2230 flight. This was because there was no space on any connecting flights. Fortunately the Saudia office in Lahore was still open so we rushed as fast as we could to it and managed to speak to someone who booked us on some Qatar flights 4 days later. There were many others in the office who weren't so lucky. I saw one man close to breaking down because they couldn't fit his 8 family members on a flight for over 10 days.

One the day of the departure - there was more chaos at Lahore Airport, they told us we weren't guaranteed a seat, first Qatar passengers must be checked in then transferred passengers. I was seething with fury at this point - with young kids and a baby I really didn't want to get delayed again. Anyways after screaming and huge pressure on everyone - they finally stopped being idiots and accepted that the flight wasn't overbooked and had plenty of space.

Lessons learnt from this whole mess.

1. Avoid travelling to/from airports impacted by fog in the winter - this is the 3rd time I've been messed around because of fog at this time of the year.
2. Take direct flights when they are available.
3. If you do have to travel in winter time - build some contingency into your plan.

Another issue I have is with these porters at the airport - why is the amount you pay never enough? I am told 2k rupees is a very fair going rate but even after this they make these faces like they deserve 5 times more.
 

S Korea to remove concrete barriers near runways after fatal crash​

South Korea will change the concrete barriers used for navigation at seven airports across the country following December's plane crash that killed 179 people.

Seven airports will also have their runway safety areas adapted following a review of all South Korea's airports that was carried out after the crash - the deadliest in the country's history.

The Jeju Air flight was bringing passengers home from Thailand after Christmas when it made an emergency landing at Muan airport and exploded after slamming into a concrete barrier at the end of the runway.

The cause of the crash is still unknown but air safety experts had earlier said the number of casualties could have been much lower if not for the structure.

The concrete structure holds a navigation system that assists aircraft landings - known as a localiser. South Korea's transport ministry had said this system could also be found in other airports in the country and even overseas.

Safety inspectors have now identified nine of these systems, which they say need to be altered. These include the systems at Muan and Jeju International Airport which is the country's second-largest airport.

They are looking to either replace the concrete bases with more lightweight structures or bury them underground.

Officials added that Muan International Airport's existing concrete mounds would be removed entirely and the localiser "reinstalled using breakable structures".

Following the crash, it emerged that an operating manual from Muan International Airport, uploaded early in 2024, had said the concrete embankment was too close to the end of the runway.

The document, prepared by Korea Airports Corp, had recommended the location of the equipment be reviewed during a planned expansion.

Chris Kingswood, a pilot with 48 years' experience who has flown the same type of aircraft involved in the crash, previously told the BBC that "obstacles within a certain range and distance of the runway are required to be frangible, which means that if an aircraft strikes them that they do break.

Apart from the barriers, seven airports will also have their runway safety areas adapted after the investigation found that they were shorter than the recommended 240m (787ft).

According to reports, the runway safety area at Muan airport had been about 200m long.

A runway safety area refers to an area adjacent to, or at the end of a runway, meant to limit damage to aircraft should they overshoot, undershoot or veer off the runway.

The 179 passengers onboard the Boeing B737-800 plane were aged between three and 78 years old, although most were in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Two cabin crew members were the only survivors.

Investigators are still looking into what caused the crash, but the pilot had warned of a bird strike before pulling out of a first landing attempt. The plane crashed on its second landing attempt when the landing gear did not emerge.

Flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped recording four minutes before the disaster, an investigation into the black boxes later found.

Source: BBC
 

Spirit Airlines' bold new dress code sparks controversy​

The Florida-based budget carrier recently updated its dress code policy, detailing what passengers can and cannot wear.

The changes, outlined in Spirit’s “Contract of Carriage,” went into effect on January 22, 2025.

According to the policy, passengers may be denied boarding or asked to leave the aircraft if deemed "inadequately clothed." This includes being barefoot, wearing see-through clothing, or exposing private areas. The airline also prohibits clothing or tattoos that are "lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature."

In addition to attire, passengers with "offensive odors" unrelated to a disability may also be denied service. Notably, guests who fail to comply with these guidelines are ineligible for a refund, the document states.

Spirit Airlines is not alone in enforcing dress code policies. United Airlines’ updated Contract of Carriage, also effective January 22, similarly states that passengers in lewd or offensive clothing may face removal. Hawaiian Airlines takes a more detailed approach, prohibiting tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, speedos, and bikini bottoms.

Conversely, some carriers, such as Southwest Airlines, do not outline specific dress code requirements in their policies.

Spirit Airlines did not immediately respond to inquiries about the changes or how the policy differs from previous versions.

As dress code enforcement becomes a growing trend across the airline industry, travelers are encouraged to review individual airline policies before booking to avoid complications at the gate.

Source: The Express Tribune
 
Crashed Azerbaijani plane was riddled with holes after incident over Russia, report says

An Azerbaijani passenger plane that crashed in December after being diverted from Russia to Kazakhstan had suffered external damage and was riddled with holes in its fuselage, according to a report published on a Kazakh government website on Tuesday.

Thirty-eight people were killed when the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed on Dec. 25 near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after re-routing across the Caspian Sea from southern Russia.

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said in December the plane had been damaged by accidental shooting from the ground in Russia. Moscow has not confirmed this.

Following the crash, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a rare apology to Aliyev for the "tragic incident" in Russian airspace, but the Kremlin did not say Russia had fired at the plane, only noting that a criminal case had been opened.

The preliminary report was issued under global aviation rules designed to draw lessons to prevent future accidents, rather than assigning blame or liability.

It was cautiously worded and did not say what had caused the extensive damage to the plane, including its stabilisers, hydraulics and trim systems.

But it included photographs showing the port side of the tail section was punctured with numerous holes. Also pictured were fragments that it described as "foreign metal objects" removed from the left stabiliser and hydraulic system.

A senior Azerbaijani government official told Reuters that the external impact referred to in the report was from a Russian surface-to-air missile.

"The Azerbaijani side possesses a fragment of a Pantsir-S missile, which was extracted from the aircraft and identified through international expertise," the source said.

It was the first time that a Baku government source has claimed to have physical proof that Russia shot down the plane, a Brazilian-manufactured Embraer (EMBR3.SA), opens new tab E190. No comment was immediately available from Russian officials late on Tuesday evening.

Russia says it has assigned its own investigation to the most experienced experts and that actions are being taken to establish the cause and circumstances of the incident.

'PASSENGERS ARE LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS'

The plane had been flying from Baku to Grozny in southern Russia, where the Kremlin said Ukrainian drones had been attacking several cities at the time.

Twenty-nine people survived the crash-landing in Kazakhstan. Aliyev has hailed the pilots, who died, as national heroes. The Azerbaijani leader has said that blame lies with Russian individuals, and that Baku demands justice.

The report said that at the start of the incident, the cockpit voice recorder identified the sound of two impacts in the space of 25 seconds. Two minutes later, the pilot reported to air traffic control that he thought the plane had suffered a bird strike.

After a further five minutes, he said the aircraft was losing control.

Several other airports were discussed as possible landing sites for the stricken plane before the crew decided to head to Aktau in Kazakhstan, which required them to fly east across the Caspian Sea.

"So, we have this situation, oxygen is running out in the passenger cabin, which means an oxygen tank exploded there, I think," the pilot reported. "So there is a smell of fuel, some passengers are losing consciousness, give us permission to go at a lower altitude."

The plane transmitted a distress signal while approaching Aktau. It collided with the ground there an hour and 12 minutes after the pilots first reported a problem.

Azerbaijan's transport ministry, commenting on the report, said the plane had been fully airworthy but was damaged due to the impact of "external objects".

It highlighted the report's finding that it was not until eight minutes after the initial impacts that Russian air traffic controllers initiated a protocol that bans aircraft from flying in areas which are being subjected to drone attacks.

SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...bably-damaged-by-external-objects-2025-02-04/
 

All 10 onboard Alaska plane confirmed dead in crash​

Crews are still working to recover the bodies of 10 people killed in a plane crash in Alaska, officials have said.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said the investigation into the crash was in its "early stages" and it was too soon to tell what caused it.

The Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, operated by regional operator Bering Air, was travelling from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday when it lost radar contact.

Nine passengers and a pilot were on board the plane when it came down in Norton Sound about 34 miles (55km) south-east of Nome, a city of about 3,500 on Alaska's west coast.


Among the dead were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, two employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

They had travelled to Unalakleet to carry out maintenance work on a water plant, the non-profit organisation said on Friday.

Ms Homendy said that nine investigators are on the scene, backed up by specialists in Washington DC.

"Recovery efforts are still under way, with the priority being victim recovery," she said during a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city.

"I would like to take a moment and expend our deepest condolences to people who lost loved ones in this tragedy," she said.

Ms Homendy said recovery workers were dealing with deteriorating weather conditions and that the wreckage had landed on an ice floe which is moving at a rate of five miles a day.

In a statement, Bering Air, which operates commercial and charter flights, expressed its condolences and said it would be cooperating with the investigation into the crash.

Alaska State Troopers said it had been notified of an "overdue" aircraft at 16:00 local time on Thursday (01:00 GMT).

The Nome volunteer fire department said the pilot had told air traffic controllers that "he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be cleared".

The US Coast Guard later said the plane had experienced a rapid loss in altitude and speed before contact was lost.

Footage showed low visibility in the area around the time of the crash.

Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski shared her condolences following the incident.

"Alaska is a big small town. When tragedy strikes, we're never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted," she wrote online.

Alaska's Governor, Mike Dunleavy, said he was "heartbroken" by the disappearance of the flight.

"Our prayers are with the passengers, the pilot, and their loved ones during this difficult time," he said.

Unakleet and Nome are about 150 miles from each other across Norton Sound, an inlet of the Bering Sea on Alaska's western coast.

Source: BBC
 
Meet the Indian woman who flies to work every day

While most people rely on cars, buses, or trains for their daily office commute, Rachel Kaur takes a more unconventional route—she flies.

The Indian professional, who works as an Assistant Manager in Finance Operations at AirAsia in Malaysia, travels 700 kilometres daily between her home in Penang and her office in Kuala Lumpur.

Rachel initially lived in Kuala Lumpur, renting an apartment near her workplace. However, being away from her children five days a week became emotionally challenging.

In early 2024, she made a bold decision—to commute by plane instead of staying away from home. Surprisingly, this choice has not only given her more time with her children but also helped her save money.

Previously, Rachel spent around $474 per month on rent and other living expenses. Now, her travel costs amount to just $316 per month, making air travel a cost-effective alternative.

Rachel’s day starts at 4 AM. By 5 AM, she leaves home for the airport, catching a 6:30 AM flight to Kuala Lumpur. She reaches her office by 7:45 AM and works a full day before flying back home in the evening. Despite the long hours, she values the time she gets to spend with her children every night.

She believes working from the office is more productive than remote work, as it allows direct communication with colleagues. While the early morning routine can be exhausting, seeing her children at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile.

AirAsia supports her unusual schedule, recognizing that it enables her to maintain a strong work-life balance.


www.samaa.tv

Indian woman flies to work daily to balance career & family life

Rachel Kaur, a finance manager at AirAsia, flies 700 km daily to work in Kuala Lumpur, choosing this unique commute.
www.samaa.tv www.samaa.tv
 
‘Air Karachi’: New airline seeks license to operate flights in Pakistan

A new private airline, ‘Air Karachi’ has submitted an application to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) for a Regular Public Transport (RPT) license to launch operations in various cities of the country, ARY News reported.

Sources within the PCAA, the authority will decide to issue the RPT license to Air Karachi after approval from the federal government.

Upon receiving the license, Air Karachi will commence its flight operations. The airline has already been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

The business community of Karachi had earlier announced the launch of the new airline.

Businessman Hanif Gohar announced that Air Karachi will begin operations with an initial investment of Rs 5 billion, with each shareholder contributing Rs 50 million.

Former Southern Commander (retd) Air Vice Marshal Imran, has been appointed as the CEO of Air Karachi. The airline plans to lease three aircraft in its initial phase.

Key shareholders of Air Karachi include Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, Arif Habib, SM Tanveer, Bashir Jan Muhammad, Khalid Tawab, Zubair Tufail, and Hamza Tabani.


arynews.tv

'Air Karachi': New airline seeks license to operate flights in Pakistan

KARACHI: A new private airline, ‘Air Karachi’ has submitted an application to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) for a Regular Public Transport
arynews.tv arynews.tv
 
Delta plane flips on landing at Toronto airport, injuring 8

Eight people were injured when a plane carrying 80 passengers flipped as it landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, officials said.

Toronto's Pearson Airport said earlier Monday it was dealing with high winds and frigid temperatures as airlines attempted to catch up with missed flights after a weekend snowstorm dumped over 22 cm (8.6 inches) of snow at the airport.

Video posted by News Channel3 Now showed a Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), opens new tab plane belly up on a snow-covered tarmac, with people walking away from the plane.

 
Cricket Warrior said:
Delta plane flips on landing at Toronto airport, injuring 8

Eight people were injured when a plane carrying 80 passengers flipped as it landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, officials said.

Toronto's Pearson Airport said earlier Monday it was dealing with high winds and frigid temperatures as airlines attempted to catch up with missed flights after a weekend snowstorm dumped over 22 cm (8.6 inches) of snow at the airport.

Video posted by News Channel3 Now showed a Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), opens new tab plane belly up on a snow-covered tarmac, with people walking away from the plane.

Click to expand...

Glad there wasn't any casualty.

We have had a nasty snowstorm last week here in Toronto. Weather hasn't been good here.

Here's the plane's photo:

delta-planes-lands-upside-down-in-toronto-crash.jpg
 
Witnesses tell of moment plane crashed and flipped

"Our plane crashed. It's upside down."

These were the words of John Nelson, a passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight that had just crashed and flipped while landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

All 80 people on board the flight from Minneapolis - 76 passengers and four crew - have survived, the airport's chief executive has said.

Eighteen passengers were injured. Local paramedics said that three people - a child, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 40s - were seriously injured, but officials said they were not aware of anyone with critical injuries.

"Most people appear to be okay. We're all getting off," Mr Nelson said in a video posted to Facebook soon after the crash.

He later told CNN that there was no indication of anything unusual before landing.

"We skidded on our side, then flipped over on our back," he said, adding that "there was a big fire ball out the left side of the plane".

Passengers were left hanging upside down in their seats.

"We were upside down hanging like bats," Peter Koukov, who was also on the plane, told CNN.

Mr Nelson said he was able to unbuckle himself push himself to the ground.

"Some people were kind of hanging and needed some help ... and others were able to get down on their own," he said.

Video footage shared on social media shows people clambering out of the overturned aircraft, with fire crews spraying it with foam.

Passengers were seen being helped out of the plane's doors by airport staff, with some then running away from the plane's entrance.

Despite a plane flipping on the runway, Diane Perry said she learned of the crash when her family called her while she was in line to check her luggage.

"It was kind of ironic that we were in the airport and didn't know that there was a crash outside," she told the BBC.

The reason for the crash is not yet clear. Two runways will remain closed for several days for investigation and passengers have been told to expect some delays.

Mr Nelson is still processing what had just happened, telling CNN he was "stressed, nervous, shaky still".

"It's amazing that we're still here."

BBC
 
Two killed after small planes collide midair in Arizona

At least two people have died after two small planes collided midair near an airport in Arizona, police said.

A Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, both fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, had two passengers each aboard when they collided at Marana Regional Airport, north-west of Tucson, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.

The NTSB, which is leading the investigation into the incident, said on X that based on preliminary information, the aircraft "collided while upwind of runway 12", which is one of two runways at the airport.

It added that the Cessna "landed uneventfully" while the Lancair "impacted terrain near runway 3 and a post-impact fire ensued."

No information about the victims was provided.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the two planes collided at around 08:25 local time (15:25GMT) on Wednesday.


www.bbc.com

Two killed after small planes collide midair in Arizona

The Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II had two passengers each aboard when they crashed.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Couple's trauma after body placed next to them on flight

An Australian couple have spoken of the "traumatic" moment the body of a dead passenger was placed next to them on a Qatar Airways flight.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, who were travelling to Venice for a dream holiday, told Australia's Channel 9 a woman had died in the aisle beside them during the flight from Melbourne to Doha.

The couple say cabin crew placed her corpse, covered in blankets, next to Mr Ring for the remaining four hours of the flight without offering to move him, despite there being empty seats.

Qatar Airways said it apologised for "any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused", adding that it was in the process of contacting passengers.

The couple said they had not been contacted or offered support by Qatar Airways or Qantas, the airline through which they booked the flight.

They said there should be a protocol to ensure passengers onboard were looked after in such situations.


www.bbc.com

Dead body placed beside Australian couple on Qatar Airways flight

Cabin crew placed the body of a passenger who died mid-flight in an empty seat beside the pair.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Qatar Airways says crew handled dead passenger' appropriately'

Qatar Airways says an internal review has found that its crew "acted quickly, appropriately and professionally" when they placed the body of a woman who died mid-flight next to an Australian couple.

The airline issued the statement to the BBC on Friday, after the couple told Australia's Channel Nine that they were traumatised by the experience on the Melbourne to Doha flight.

Qatar Airways had apologised in a previous statement for "any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused".

The incident sparked debate over procedures on dealing with deaths aboard planes.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, who were travelling to Venice for a holiday, said the cabin crew had placed the dead woman, covered in blankets, next to Mr Ring for the last four hours of a 14-hour flight.

The woman collapsed then died along the aisle beside them. Afterwards, the crew tried but failed to move her body to the business class section because "she was quite large lady and they couldn't get her through the aisle", Mr Ring said.

They then asked Mr Ring to move over and placed the lady in the seat he was in.

While Ms Colin was invited by another passenger to sit beside her across the aisle, Mr Ring said the plane's staff did not offer to move him elsewhere even though there were vacant seats around.

Qatar Airways said on Friday that the crew's handling of the woman's death was "in line with training and industry standard practice".

"Passengers were accommodated to other seats, and a crew member was sitting at all times with the deceased passenger for the duration of the flight until landing in Doha," its statement said.

"It is an unfortunate reality that unexpected deaths do sometimes occur on board aircraft across the aviation industry and our crew are highly trained to deal with these situations with as much respect and dignity as possible."

The airline also said that they have offered support and compensation to the family of the deceased and other passengers who were directly affected by the incident.

"We totally understand that we can't hold the airline responsible for the poor lady's death, but surely after that there has to be a protocol to look after the customers on board," Ms Colin said in the televised interview with Channel 9.

When the plane landed, Mr Ring said passengers were asked to stay put while medical staff and police came on board. Ambulance officers then started pulling blankets off the woman and he saw her face, he said.

"I can't believe they told us to stay," he said, adding that he thought they would have let the passengers leave the plane first before letting medical staff handle the body.

Barry Eustance, a former Virgin Atlantic captain, earlier told the BBC that in his experience "the crew would normally try to isolate the body, so there is no passenger exposure to the body and vice versa, for respect and privacy but also for medical reasons".

According to the guidelines by the International Air Transport Association on dealing with deaths on board a flight, the deceased person should be moved to a seat, preferably one with few other passengers nearby, and covered with a blanket or body bag up to the neck. The body could also moved to another area that does not obstruct an aisle or exit.

Upon landing, the association recommends that other passengers disembark before the body is attended to by local authorities.

BBC
 
Teen armed with gun overpowered by passengers onboard plane

Police in Australia have charged a 17-year-old who got on a plane with a shotgun and ammunition.

He was filmed being wrestled to the ground by passengers and crew as the aircraft prepared to take off from Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, carrying 160 people bound for Sydney on Thursday afternoon.

Police believe the teenager got onto the airport tarmac by breaching a security fence, before climbing the front steps to the plane, where he was tackled to the ground near the front door.

The 17-year-old - who has not been identified - was taken into custody and will appear in youth court to face eight charges.



www.bbc.com

Australia: Teen armed with gun overpowered by passengers onboard plane

A 17-year-old has been charged after being detained by crew and members of the public on a plane in Australia.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Teen armed with gun overpowered by passengers onboard plane

Police in Australia have charged a 17-year-old who got on a plane with a shotgun and ammunition.

He was filmed being wrestled to the ground by passengers and crew as the aircraft prepared to take off from Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, carrying 160 people bound for Sydney on Thursday afternoon.

Police believe the teenager got onto the airport tarmac by breaching a security fence, before climbing the front steps to the plane, where he was tackled to the ground near the front door.

The 17-year-old - who has not been identified - was taken into custody and will appear in youth court to face eight charges.



www.bbc.com

Australia: Teen armed with gun overpowered by passengers onboard plane

A 17-year-old has been charged after being detained by crew and members of the public on a plane in Australia.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
Click to expand...
Oh yeah I heard about this. I'm still surprised by all of it.

Aus has excellent gun control. Next to impossible to purchase a gun here. The rules here are even tighter then UK. How on earth did this teenagers get possession of one?
 
Passengers evacuate onto wing of burning American Airlines jet

Passengers on an American Airlines flight were evacuated onto the tarmac of an airport in Colorado as a fire broke out on the plane, sending smoke billowing into the air.

Footage of the evacuation showed passengers huddled on the wing of the Boeing airliner, some holding bags, with flames burning near the bottom of the plane.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said passengers used inflatable slides to reach the ground safely at the Denver International Airport. The agency said that it would investigate the cause of the incident.

There were no reports of serious injuries, although the airport later confirmed 12 people were taken to hospital for minor injuries.

The flight took off from nearby Colorado Springs and was on the way to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, the FAA said in a statement to the BBC.

The plane diverted to Denver around 17:15 local time (23:15 GMT) after the crew reported "engine vibrations", the FAA said.

After the plane landed, it caught fire while taxiing on the tarmac at the airport.

American Airlines said the plane had 172 passengers on board, along with six crew members. All were evacuated safely, the company said.

It added that the plane was a Boeing 737-800 and experienced an "engine-related issue".

Smoke and flames were visible from various gates at the airport, according to airport spokesman Michael Konopasek. He said the fire was doused and it did not lead to delays for other flights.

Some of those inside the airport posted videos on social media showing the plane's passengers walking toward the edge of the wing as large clouds of black smoke filled the air.

Ground crew can be seen rushing to the wing while pushing ladders.

Video show flames under the plane's right engine as an inflatable evacuation slide appear at the aircraft's rear door.

The evacuation comes after a recent string of high-profile incidents in North America that have raised concerns about aviation safety.

A fatal crash in Washington DC left 67 people dead when an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. The crash in the US capital city led to questions about air traffic controller shortages and their workloads.

US President Donald Trump's administration has also terminated hundreds of FAA probationary workers as part of government cost-saving efforts.

The layoffs happened weeks after the fatal DC crash.

The laid-off FAA employees included maintenance mechanics, environmental compliance workers and technical assistants.

Trump has pushed to reduce government spending with tech billionaire Elon Musk spearheading efforts as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

BBC
 
BouncerGuy said:
Passengers evacuate onto wing of burning American Airlines jet

Passengers on an American Airlines flight were evacuated onto the tarmac of an airport in Colorado as a fire broke out on the plane, sending smoke billowing into the air.

Footage of the evacuation showed passengers huddled on the wing of the Boeing airliner, some holding bags, with flames burning near the bottom of the plane.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said passengers used inflatable slides to reach the ground safely at the Denver International Airport. The agency said that it would investigate the cause of the incident.

There were no reports of serious injuries, although the airport later confirmed 12 people were taken to hospital for minor injuries.

The flight took off from nearby Colorado Springs and was on the way to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, the FAA said in a statement to the BBC.

The plane diverted to Denver around 17:15 local time (23:15 GMT) after the crew reported "engine vibrations", the FAA said.

After the plane landed, it caught fire while taxiing on the tarmac at the airport.

American Airlines said the plane had 172 passengers on board, along with six crew members. All were evacuated safely, the company said.

It added that the plane was a Boeing 737-800 and experienced an "engine-related issue".

Smoke and flames were visible from various gates at the airport, according to airport spokesman Michael Konopasek. He said the fire was doused and it did not lead to delays for other flights.

Some of those inside the airport posted videos on social media showing the plane's passengers walking toward the edge of the wing as large clouds of black smoke filled the air.

Ground crew can be seen rushing to the wing while pushing ladders.

Video show flames under the plane's right engine as an inflatable evacuation slide appear at the aircraft's rear door.

The evacuation comes after a recent string of high-profile incidents in North America that have raised concerns about aviation safety.

A fatal crash in Washington DC left 67 people dead when an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. The crash in the US capital city led to questions about air traffic controller shortages and their workloads.

US President Donald Trump's administration has also terminated hundreds of FAA probationary workers as part of government cost-saving efforts.

The layoffs happened weeks after the fatal DC crash.

The laid-off FAA employees included maintenance mechanics, environmental compliance workers and technical assistants.

Trump has pushed to reduce government spending with tech billionaire Elon Musk spearheading efforts as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

BBC
Click to expand...

What's going on with American planes? This is the 3rd incident in recent times.
 
New York helicopter crash: Six people killed in crash in Hudson River

More than one killed in helicopter crash - as police say two children were among five on board
There are multiple fatalities in the helicopter crash, officials have confirmed to our US partner network NBC News.

It is not clear how many people died of those on board. Sources told NBC affiliate WNBC that there are at least four confirmed fatalities.

New Jersey state police say there were a total of five people on board including a pilot, two adults and two children.


SKY News
 
The renowned Sindhi business conglomerate, Mirchandani Group, based in the UAE, has announced the launch of a new airline aimed at promoting Sindhi culture on a global scale. Although the airline’s name is yet to be finalized, it is set to begin operations in the last quarter of 2025.

This unique venture will reflect the vibrant colors of Sindhi heritage. Passengers can expect traditional Sindhi hospitality, authentic Sindhi cuisine such as Sindhi Biryani, Palla Machhi (spiced fish), and Meetho Lolo (sweet flatbread), along with a Sindhi-speaking cabin crew. The aircraft interiors will feature designs inspired by the iconic Ajrak patterns, and in-flight entertainment will include Sindhi music and cultural documentaries.

The initiative by the Mirchandani Group aims not only to provide high-quality travel services but also to elevate Sindhi identity worldwide. Initially, the airline will operate flights from the UAE to cities in Pakistan (Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur) and India (Gujarat, Mumbai, Delhi), with future expansion plans targeting Europe and North America.

Special offers for Sindhi travelers will include a 10% discount on tickets and exclusive packages during cultural festivals. The airline will utilize modern Airbus or Boeing aircraft equipped with environmentally friendly technology.

A spokesperson for the Mirchandani Group stated, “Our airline will not merely be a mode of transport—it will serve as an ambassador of Sindhi culture. We are committed to offering an unforgettable experience to the Sindhi diaspora and other travelers.”

Experts believe that the airline has the potential to carve out a distinctive identity in the competitive Middle Eastern aviation market. The Sindhi community has widely praised the initiative, calling it a significant step toward the global promotion of their heritage.
 
Plane crash victims' families file complaint against Jeju Air CEO

Some families of those killed in a Jeju Air plane crash last December have filed a criminal complaint against 15 people, including South Korea's transport minister and the airline's CEO, for professional negligence.

The 72 bereaved relatives are calling for a more thorough investigation into the crash, which killed 179 of the 181 people on board - making it the deadliest plane crash on South Korean soil.

The crash was "not a simple accident", they allege, but a "major civic disaster caused by negligent management of preventable risks".

Nearly five months on, authorities are still studying what may have caused the plane to crash-land at Muan International Airport and then burst into flames.

The police had already opened a criminal investigation before this latest complaint, and barred Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae from leaving the country, but no one has been indicted over the incident.

One of the relatives, Kim Da-hye, denounced the "lack of progress" in investigations.

"We are filled with deep anger and despair. Having taken this extraordinary measure of filing a criminal complaint, we will not give up and will continue to pursue the truth," Mr Kim said in a statement to the media.

Among the 15 people named in the complaint were government officials, airline officials and airport staff responsible for construction, supervision, facility management and bird control.

The complaint filed on Tuesday raises questions around the circumstances of the crash, including whether air traffic control responded appropriately and whether the reinforcement of a mound at the end of the runway violated regulations.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, took off from the Thai capital of Bangkok on the morning of 29 December, and was flying to Muan in South Korea.

Five minutes after the pilots made contact with Muan International Airport, they reported striking a bird and declared a mayday signal.

The pilots then tried to land from the opposite direction, during which the aircraft belly-landed without its landing gear deployed. It later overran the runway, slammed into a concrete structure and exploded.

Earlier this year, investigators said they found bird feathers in both engines of the jet, but did not conclude the extent to which the bird strike was a contributing factor.

Since the incident, some bereaved families have also been targeted by a torrent of conspiracies and malicious jokes online.

These included suggestions that families were "thrilled" to receive compensation from authorities, or that they were "fake victims". As of March this year, eight people have been apprehended for making such derogatory and defamatory online posts.

BBC
 
A Flight Carrying 200 Passengers Flew From Germany to Spain Without a Pilot

A medical emergency and one ill-timed bathroom break combined to create what could have been a disaster for 200 passengers traveling from Spain to Germany.

Though the incident occurred last year, details about what could have easily become a disastrous scenario are only just now coming to light following Spanish investigators publishing a full report on the February 2024 event.

As Business Insider reports, a Lufthansa flight traveling from Frankfurt, Germany to Seville, Spain was left pilot-less for approximately 10 minutes due to unsettling circumstances. As the flight prepared to cross the border into Spain, with about 30 minutes of travel time left, the captain used the opportunity to take a quick bathroom break.

When he attempted to re-enter the cockpit eight minutes later, he was unable to do so despite attempting to input the door’s security code five separate times. A flight attendant attempted to assist by using the intercom to contact the first officer, but with no response.

While nothing had seemed amiss with the captain’s 38-year-old co-pilot, he reportedly lost consciousness at some point during his superior’s trip to the john. Eventually, the first officer regained consciousness and was able to open the door for the captain—leaving the flight unmanned for an estimated 10 minutes.

The first officer was described as being “pale, sweating, and moving strangely,” so was quickly attended to by the flight crew and a doctor who was onboard. Meanwhile, the captain diverted the flight to Madrid, which was the closest airport, so that the pilot could seek immediate medical attention.


www.yahoo.com

A Flight Carrying 200 Passengers Flew From Germany to Spain Without a Pilot

A medical emergency and one ill-timed bathroom break combined to create what could have been a disaster for 200 passengers traveling from Spain to Germany. Though the incident occurred last year, details about what could have easily become a disastrous scenario are only just now coming to light ...
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com
 
Foreign airlines return to Pakistani airspace, except Air France

Foreign airlines have resumed overflying Pakistani airspace following the recent ceasefire between Pakistan and India, according to Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) officials, but Air France continues to divert its flights around Pakistan, incurring significant additional fuel costs.

During the military clashes between Pakistan and India earlier this month, major international carriers — including Swiss Air, Lufthansa, British Airways, Emirates, and others — had temporarily stopped using Pakistani airspace due to heightened security concerns.

Flights to Indian cities such as Amritsar, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai were rerouted, adding hours of travel time and increasing operational costs.

PAA officials said that since the ceasefire, airlines such as Swiss Air, Lufthansa, British Airways, Etihad, and Emirates have resumed normal operations and are once again flying through Pakistani airspace. Flights heading to India and other destinations are now using the more direct routes over Pakistan.

Despite the return to normalcy for many carriers, Air France flights to Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai continue to avoid Pakistan’s airspace. This ongoing diversion has resulted in millions of dollars in additional fuel expenses for the French airline.

According to aviation sources, other Air France flights to various countries are also bypassing Pakistan.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Pakistan decided to extend the closure of its airspace for Indian flights by another month. A Notice to Airmen (Notam) is expected to be issued later.

Under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations, airspace restrictions can be applied for only one month at a time, requiring periodic extensions.

India had closed its airspace to Pakistani flights on April 23, prompting a reciprocal move by Islamabad the next day. On May 6 and 7, India launched unprovoked attacks on Pakistani cities.

Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos on May 10, targeting Indian military installations. A ceasefire was subsequently reached and remains in effect.

The airspace closure has heavily impacted India’s aviation industry, while Pakistan’s aviation sector has faced minimal disruption due to limited Far East operations and the rerouting of only one eastbound flight through China.


www.geo.tv

Foreign airlines return to Pakistani airspace, except Air France

International carriers resume normal operations.Millions in fuel costs for Air France rerouting.PAA says post-ceasefire air traffic has normalised.Foreign airlines have resumed overflying Pakistani airspace following the recent...
www.geo.tv www.geo.tv
 
Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircrafts

Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian aircraft from entering its airspace until June 24, 2025, according to a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority.

As per the updated NOTAM, the extension applies to all Indian-registered, Indian-operated, Indian-owned, or Indian-leased aircraft, including military aircraft, which will remain prohibited from flying over Pakistani airspace.

The ban also affects all flights managed by Indian airlines or operators, barring them from traversing Pakistani territory.

This airspace restriction was originally imposed by Pakistan in response to India’s unilateral ban on Pakistani flights following the Pahalgam incident. In a reciprocal move, Islamabad barred Indian aircraft from using its airspace.


english.aaj.tv

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircrafts

Indian airlines suffers financial losses exceeding INR800 crores
english.aaj.tv
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircrafts

Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian aircraft from entering its airspace until June 24, 2025, according to a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority.

As per the updated NOTAM, the extension applies to all Indian-registered, Indian-operated, Indian-owned, or Indian-leased aircraft, including military aircraft, which will remain prohibited from flying over Pakistani airspace.

The ban also affects all flights managed by Indian airlines or operators, barring them from traversing Pakistani territory.

This airspace restriction was originally imposed by Pakistan in response to India’s unilateral ban on Pakistani flights following the Pahalgam incident. In a reciprocal move, Islamabad barred Indian aircraft from using its airspace.


english.aaj.tv

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircrafts

Indian airlines suffers financial losses exceeding INR800 crores
english.aaj.tv
Click to expand...

Great move.

I want Bangladesh to put an airspace ban on Indian aircrafts also. :inti
 
Flights suspended after man is sucked into plane engine on runway

Flights were suspended at an airport in northern Italy after a man was sucked into the engine of a plane and killed.

Police at Milan Bergamo International Airport told Sky News that the person appeared to run on to the runway before voluntarily entering the engine of the Volotea aircraft.

A spokesperson for the airport in Bergamo, in the Lombardy region, has said the 35-year-old was not a passenger or employee.

Witnesses have said the man entered the airport terminal by driving the wrong way down a road.

They added that he then left his car before running into the arrivals areas and heading to an emergency door that leads to the runway.

He then ran towards the engine of the plane that was preparing to take off, they added.

The witnesses also said police and airport security went after the man but were not able to stop him.


news.sky.com

Flights suspended after man is sucked into plane engine on runway

Police at Milan Bergamo International Airport told Sky News the person appeared to run on to the runway before voluntarily entering the engine.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Flights suspended after man is sucked into plane engine on runway

Flights were suspended at an airport in northern Italy after a man was sucked into the engine of a plane and killed.

Police at Milan Bergamo International Airport told Sky News that the person appeared to run on to the runway before voluntarily entering the engine of the Volotea aircraft.

A spokesperson for the airport in Bergamo, in the Lombardy region, has said the 35-year-old was not a passenger or employee.

Witnesses have said the man entered the airport terminal by driving the wrong way down a road.

They added that he then left his car before running into the arrivals areas and heading to an emergency door that leads to the runway.

He then ran towards the engine of the plane that was preparing to take off, they added.

The witnesses also said police and airport security went after the man but were not able to stop him.


news.sky.com

Flights suspended after man is sucked into plane engine on runway

Police at Milan Bergamo International Airport told Sky News the person appeared to run on to the runway before voluntarily entering the engine.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
Click to expand...

Tragic but he should've known better.

It was his fault entirely.
 

At least 19 dead after air force jet crashes into Bangladesh school​


At least 19 people have died and more than 100 were injured after a Bangladeshi air force training jet crashed into a school campus in the capital, Dhaka.

Footage of the scene at Milestone School and College in the northern suburb of Uttara shows a huge fire and a thick plume of smoke.

The military has confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved.

More than 50 people, including children and adults, were taken to hospital with burns, a doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery told reporters.

The death toll may still rise, with official sources giving different numbers on how many people have died and were injured.

A teacher at the college, Rezaul Islam, told BBC Bangla that he saw the plane "directly" hit the building.

Another teacher, Masud Tarik, told Reuters that he heard an explosion: "When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke... There were many guardians and kids here."

A student said he saw the plane hit the building "right in front of my eyes".

A statement from the military said: "Bangladesh Air Force's F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed in Uttara. The aircraft took off at 13:06 (0706 GMT)."

The country's fire service said on social media it had nine units at the scene, along with six ambulances.

Muhammad Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh's interim government, said "necessary measures" would be taken to investigate the cause of the incident and "ensure all kinds of assistance".

"This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation. I wish the injured a speedy recovery and instruct all authorities, including the hospitals concerned, to deal with the situation with utmost importance," he said in a post on X.

Source: BBC
 
Pakistani Airport Wins International Award

Quetta International Airport’s newly reconstructed runway was honoured with the prestigious FIDIC Asia-Pacific Engineering Excellence Award during a ceremony in Islamabad.

Officials say the runway—completed without closing the airport and at a cost of around PKR 5 billion—now ranks among the region’s longest and strongest rigid-runways.

The award recognizes the Pakistan Airports Authority and project consultancy teams for their exemplary planning, technical skill, and safety record.



propakistani.pk

Pakistani Airport Wins International Award

Quetta International Airport’s newly reconstructed runway was honoured with the prestigious FIDIC Asia-Pacific Engineering Excellence Award during a
propakistani.pk propakistani.pk
 
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