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Contact photographer Stefan Sonnenberg
What: Air Berlin/ LTU Airbus A330-200 en route from Dusseldorf to La Romana Dominican Republic
Where: Cologne
When: Feb 19 2010
Why: While en route, a window in the cockpit cracked. The flight diverted to Cologne and made a safe landing. Passengers were provided an alternative flight.
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Contact photographer Manas Barooah
What: Northwest Airlines Airbus A330-323X en route from Amsterdam to Detroit
Where: Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
When: Dec 25, 2009
Who: 278 passengers
Why: On approach to Detroit, Nigerian passenger Abdul Mudallad, an engineering student at the University College in London, attempted to set off firecrackers in an attempt to explode the plane. (Mudallad is the son of a Nigerian banker.) The passenger’s device failed to ignite the plane, although the device did make a little pop and emitted smoke. Hearing the pop, a passenger, Dutch video director Jasper Schuringa, jumped over other passengers and took care of it so the fire went out.
Later reports indicate that the passenger had a liquid and powder concealed under his pants, with the ultimate objective of having them detonate when he put them together. The detonation, however, sounded like “a firecracker exploding inside a pillowcase” as described by passengers. A woman seated near the Nigerian passenger had asked him what he was doing, causing an alert; and when the fire-cracker-like sound went off, several passengers became involved. By the time minutes had passed and stewards had brought a fire extinguisher, the passenger had already been subdued by other passengers.
His legs were burned from his efforts. He was removed to the front of the plane; and after the plane landed, was taken into custody.
Azurair flight ZF-9401 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Tashkent International Airport, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on February 26.
The Boeing 767-300, heading from Moscow, Russia, to Phuket, Thailand, was mid-air above Tashkent when the crew had to shut down one of its engine due to low oil indication.
The plane landed safely.
All 327 people on board remained safe.
Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-295 had to return and make an emergency landing in Lahore, Pakistan, on November 5th.
The Airbus A320-200 plane took off for Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, but had to return shortly afterwards after one of the engines ingested a bird.
The plane landed safely. All 130 people aboard remained unharmed.
The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.
A Bluebird Airways flight made an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, on August 14th.
Authorities said the plane heading from Budapest, Hungary, to Tel Aviv, Israel, was diverted due to a disruptive passenger.
The plane landed uneventfully in Sofia. The disruptive passenger was escorted off the plane.
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Contact photographer Cary Liao
The incident 35,000 feet above Norfolk where an AirTran Airways Boeing 717 maneuvered to avoid another aircraft on Oct. 26, and a passenger and flight attendant were both injured by turbulence is currently being investigated by the NTSB.
The FAA does not know if the sharp loss of altitude is related to the collision avoidance maneuver or turbulence. The incident is not being called a close call.
Aerolineas Argentinas flight AR-1865 suffered a drone strike near Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on November 11th.
The incident happened when the Boeing 737-800 plane flying from Trelew, Argentina, was on final approach to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery.
The plane continued for a safe landing. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
