All 22 found killed in missing Russian chopper crash in Kamchatka Peninsula

MOSCOW, Sept 1: Searchers found no survivors among the wreckage of a Russian helicopter that crashed in the far eastern peninsula of Kamchatka with 22 people on board, state news agency TASS said on Sunday.

The Mi-8T helicopter had taken off from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano. The Kamchatka peninsula, some 7,100 km (4,400 miles) east of Moscow, was hit by a cyclone over the weekend, with heavy winds and rain, but it was not clear if that was the cause of the crash.

Australian scientist claims he has figured the location of missing MH370 plane

SYDNEY, Aug 27: A scientist from Australia has claimed to find the “perfect hiding place” for the missing MH370 plane. The claim comes years after the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines flight.

The plane had vanished from the radar after taking off from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board in 2014.

The incident had resulted in the biggest search in aviation history with the whereabouts of the jet unknown till date.

In a LinkedIn post, Tasmanian researcherm, Vincent Lyne claimed that the plane was delibrately ploughed deep into the Broken Ridge- a 20,000 feet-deep hole in the Indian Ocean.

“This work changes the narrative of MH370’s disappearance from one of no-blame, fuel-starvation at the 7th arc, high-speed dive, to a mastermind pilot almost executing an incredible perfect-disappearance in the Southern Indian Ocean,” the researcher wrote.

“In fact, it would have worked were it not for MH370 ploughing its right wing through a wave, and the discovery of the regular interrogation satellite communications by Inmarsat – a brilliant discovery also announced in the Journal of Navigation,” he added.

Lyne, who works at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, said that damage to the plane’s wings, flaps and flaperon suggest it was involved in a “controlled ditching” similar to that of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger on the Hudson River in 2009.

“This justifies beyond doubt the original claim, based on brilliant, skilled, and very careful debris-damage analyses, by decorated ex-Chief Canadian Air-crash Investigator Larry Vance, that MH370 had fuel and running engines when it underwent a masterful ‘controlled ditching’ and not a high-speed fuel-starved crash,” Lyne wrote.

As per Lyne, the MH370 is “where the longitude of Penang airport intersects the Pilot-in-Command home simulator track, discovered and discarded by the FBI and officials as ‘irrelevant.’

“That pre-meditated iconic location harbors a very deep 6000m hole at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge within a very rugged and dangerous ocean environment renowned for its wild fisheries and new deep-water species. With narrow steep sides, surrounded by massive ridges and other deep holes, it is filled with fine sediments – a perfect ‘hiding’ place,” Lyne continued, adding the area needs to be verified as a “high priority.”

Lyne’s profile suggests he has been working on the missing case of MH370 for years and has been posting different scientific studies and evidence regarding the missing plane.

Delta Air Lines explosion near Atlanta airport leaves two dead, one injured

ATLANTA, Aug 27: A deadly explosion at a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near the Atlanta airport on Tuesday morning left two workers dead, while another was seriously hurt, news agency Associated Press reported.

The Atlanta-based airline stated that it is working with local officials to find out what caused the explosion, noting in a statement that the incident occurred in the wheel and brake shop but providing no additional details.

According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, sources reported that a Delta employee and a contractor were killed when a tire on a plane exploded during its removal.

Several fire trucks and police went to the maintenance hangar near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 5 am.

“The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility," Delta said in the statement.

The aircraft had arrived from Las Vegas on Sunday, the station reported.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which is trying to organise 20,000 ground workers at Delta, wants a full investigation into the explosion, the report stated.

Plane with 62 passengers aboard crashes in Brazil's São Paulo

SAO PAULO, Aug 9: A plane carrying 62 passengers has crashed in the city of Vinhedo in Brazil's São Paulo state.

An ATR-72 aircraft, operated by Voepass Linhas Aéreas, was en route from Cascavel, in the state of Paraná, to Guarulhos in São Paulo when the crash occurred, according to a report by the local news outlet G1.

Video footage shared widely on social media captured the moment the plane plummeted into a densely forested area, followed by a massive plume of black smoke rising from the impact site.

The footage aired on the local TV station GloboNews showed the plane spiralling downward before crashing.

While local firefighters confirmed the crash, details about the number of casualties or survivors remain unclear.

The crash site was reported to be engulfed in flames, with smoke emanating from what appeared to be the remnants of the plane's fuselage.

Air India suspends Tel Aviv flights indefinitely amid rising Middle East tensions

NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Air India on Friday extended the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The Tata Group-owned airline is offering full refunds to passengers with confirmed bookings to and from the Israeli city.

“In view of the current situation in parts of the Middle East, scheduled operation of our flights to and from Tel Aviv are suspended with immediate effect until further notice,” Air India posted on X.

“We are continuously monitoring the situation and are offering a full refund to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv. Safety of our guests and crew remains our topmost priority,” it added.

The fight suspension comes amid growing fears of a war in the region after the recent killings of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

Air India’s suspension of services to Tel Aviv is not new. The airline had previously suspended its Delhi-Tel Aviv flights on October 7, 2023, following an attack by Hamas on the Israeli city. Services were briefly resumed on March 3, after nearly five months of suspension due to regional tensions.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has kept tensions high, with multiple airlines taking precautionary measures.

United Airlines also suspended its flights to Tel Aviv on Thursday, citing security concerns. The Chicago-based carrier halted its daily service from Newark, New Jersey, to Tel Aviv on July 31, though the flight had been available for booking starting September 1.

Last Friday, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv has advised all Indian nationals in Israel to remain vigilant and adhere to safety protocols amid the cancellation of flights by multiple airlines.

“Please exercise caution, avoid necessary travel within the country and stay close to safety shelters. The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and remains in regular touch with the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all our nationals,” the embassy said in an advisory.

The Indian Embassy in Beirut also strongly advised Indian nationals against travelling to Lebanon till further notice.

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