Carrier

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    First Officer Passes Out Midair; EL AL Flight 289 makes Emergency Landing in Croatia

    EL ALEL AL flight 289, en route from Tel Aviv to Venice, had to make an emergency landing in Dubrovnik, Croatia, after its first officer fell ill mid air.

    The plane departed from Tel Aviv at around 6 a.m. on May 15. After about 2 hours, the first officer went to use the bathroom and upon returning, told the captain that he was not feeling well. The captain informed the first flight attendant, and was searching for the nearby airports to make an emergency landing, when the first officer passed out. A doctor who was on board among the passengers gave him medical treatment during the flight.

    The captain successfully made a safe emergency landing in Dubrovnik, where the first officer was taken to a hospital.

    The airline later issued a statement confirming the incident.

    “El Al flight 289 from Tel Aviv to Venice, with 98 passengers on board, landed in Dubrovnik after the first officer fell ill during the flight and was unable to fulfil his duties,” maintained the airline.

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    6ft Part of Wing Came Loose; CityJet Plane Makes Emergency Landing in London

    CityJetOn May 15, a CityJet flight en route from London to Florence had to return and make an emergency landing after a part of its wing became partially detached.

    According to a CityJet spokesperson, “The WX 281 flight had just taken off from London City Airport on its way to Florence when the cover of the operating mechanism on the wing became partially detached…The crew followed their standard procedures and, after a discussion with CityJet Maintenance Control, decided to return to London City Airport.”

    The Avro RJ85 aircraft carrying 61 passengers made an uneventful emergency landing at the London City Airport. No injuries were reported.

    The passengers were taken to their destination on another aircraft.

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    AA Flight 1461 Lands in Emergency at Tulsa International Airport

    American AirlinesAmerican Airlines flight 1461 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma on May 14.

    The Dallas-bound MD-80 aircraft departed from Little Rock, Arkansas with 137 passengers and 5 crew members on board. However, the pilot found a mechanical fault and had to divert the plane towards Tulsa Airport, just a few minutes after it took off.

    The plane was welcomed by emergency crews when it touched the tarmac at about 12:45 p.m.

    No one was injured in the incident.

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    Fumes in Cockpit Force KLM’s Flight to Land in Emergency

    KLMA KLM Airline Boeing 737 had to make an emergency landing at Norwich International Airport, Norfolk, United Kingdom, at about 2:37 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13.

    A KLM spokesperson confirmed that the plane en route from Manchester to Amsterdam landed in emergency after fumes were discovered in the cockpit.

    Full emergency protocol was deployed at the airport when the plane carrying 114 passengers touched down. All the passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.

    The aircraft was taken for examination and repair.

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    Hawaii-bound United Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Los Angeles

    United Ailrines BoeingUnited Airlines flight 1296 en route from Los Angeles to Hawaii had to return and make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on May 10 due to the smell of smoke in the cabin and cockpit.

    The Boeing 757, with 149 passengers on board was flying over the Pacific Ocean when the odor was noticed in the plane.

    The plane made an uneventful emergency landing at 11:38 am. None of the passengers or crew members were injured.

    Maintenance crews are examining the plane.

    Some passengers said they experienced the scariest moments of their lives when they were told to keep their oxygen masks and life vests on. One of the passengers, Rebecca Elder said that the smoke was coming from both sides of the plane. She further said “We looked around the other passengers, everybody was very calm and really nice and helped each other out.”

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    Tracking Down #MH370 or Physics of an Air Space Game of Marco Polo


    The guessing/math triangulating the path of Inmarsat’s pings was the only thing experts seemed to agree on regarding to pinning down the location of Malaysia Airlines flight 370. Yet at the location, at least, the location according to the data laying out the path according to Inmarsat’s analysis, nothing was found in the recent search of the ocean floor off the coast of Australia. The engineers and mathematicians involved may have done their best but the guess seems to have been faulty or otherwise off somehow. If you will pardon the circular reasoning, if only we knew how it was off, we would know how it was off.

    Investigators have come up with two maps that can be drawn based on the ping data, based on the speed. The variation is due to considerations of the pings which do not indicate the speed or direction the plane was moving, but only the probable distance between plane and satellite. See Inmarsat’s global representation …

    Inmarsatglobe

    However, there is opposition to the Inmarsat calculations which is presented by * Michael Exner (founder of the American Mobile Satellite Corporation) **Duncan Steel(physicist and visiting scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center) and satellite technology consultant ***Tim Farrar which presents other data that should be considered. See the Dopplar shift jpg…

    dopplarshift

    My pragmatic response to these experts is a major simplification: just that the plane did not disappear into a textbook, under textbook conditions. The pings occurred in a real atmosphere, with atmospheric variations that were not and possibly could not have been taken into account. Not only are the speed, direction and height of the aircraft factors that must be taken into account, but also the quality of the atmosphere, density, weather, etc, plus factors that a non-mathmatical, non-scientist like myself would not even know how to bring into the picture. In this search at least, the untested math used is as vulnerable as statistics is to presenting a defective or imprecise representation, or a representation which would only be true under certain conditions.

    For further study on this, * Michael Exner, the Atlantic Official Explanation article, input from physicist **Duncan Steele (who calculates “a uniform ring radius based on the aircraft-satellite range given the elevation angle and the satellite’s altitude, and the latitude of the sub-satellite point, the aircraft being taken to be at the same latitude in this simplified geometry; and satellite consultant***Tim Farrar.

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    BA to Pay Thousands in Compensation for Emergency Landing Last Year

    British airwaysBritish Airways has agreed to pay compensation to some of the passengers whose connecting flights were delayed last year when its Airbus A319 aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Heathrow International Airport, London on May 24.

    Both the engine doors of Flight BA762 to Oslo blew off and right one caught fire, shortly after taking off from Heathrow. The passengers evacuated through escape slides. One of the two runways remained blocked for more than 3 hours.

    BA initially denied any compensation and maintained that the incident was due to exceptional circumstances beyond its control.

    However, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch revealed that the retaining latches to hold the engine doors in place were not closed, so this is human error. Therefore, the passengers who were delayed for more than three hours are entitled for compensation between €250 and €600 from the airline, said solicitors Bott & Co.

    After the incident, nine other passengers have also filed a lawsuit against aircraft manufacturer Airbus and the engine maker International Aero Engines.

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    Delta Flight 5322 Lands in Emergency at Springfield-Branson National Airport

    DeltaA regional flight of Delta airlines made an uneventful emergency landing at Springfield-Branson National Airport after a problem in its wing flaps was identified.

    The Flight 5322 was carrying 50 passengers when shortly after take off, issues with its flaps were noticed. The pilots then returned towards Springfield, circled around the airport to burn off the fuel and finally made an emergency landing at about 10:35am on Monday, April 5.

    All the passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.

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    Heavy Turbulence Forced US Airways Flight from Philadelphia to Return-5 Injured

    US AirwaysA US Airways flight, which left Philadelphia International Airport at 4 p.m. on Sunday returned shortly due to heavy turbulence.

    The incident happened when the plane was carrying 300 passengers to Orlando.

    Five people were injured: a 10-year-old child complained of head pain and was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a female with head and back injuries was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, a 43-year-old male with knee pain was taken to Methodist Hospital, a flight attendant with neck and back injuries was taken to Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital, and the fifth injured person refused any medical treatment.

    The US Airways is inspecting the plane for any possible damages.

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    Seventy-Two Children Treated at Heathrow Airport After Falling ill Midair

    AmbulanceSeventy-two children aboard Emirates flight EK007, coming from Cape Town, South Africa to Heathrow airport on Sunday, suffered from diarrhea mid air.

    The children aged 10 to 14, were part of a Welsh choir. They were on their way back after performing in Cape Town when they began vomiting. The crew members then requested emergency services at Heathrow airport to provide medical aid to the sick children.

    Especially trained paramedics from the ‘Hazardous area response team’ were waiting at the scene when the Airbus A380 touched the ground. Sixty Children were treated at the spot while 12 were taken to a hospital. The hospital sources confirmed that all children were released late night after they received treatment for diarrhea.

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    Biplane Crashed during Thunder Over Solano Air Show in California; Pilot Killed

    biplaneA 1944 Stearman biplane crashed on a runway at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California.

    The incident happened at about 2 p.m on May 4 during the Thunder Over Solano air show, when the pilot was performing an acrobatic aerial maneuver very close to the ground. The specific stunt is known as “cutting a ribbon” where the plane is flown close to ground in inverted position and a knife from the plane is thrown to cut a ribbon, just off the ground.

    Air force officials have identified the pilot as 77 year old Edward Andreini, belonging to Half Moon Bay. According to the FAA records, Andreini owned the 1944 Boeing E75 Super Stearman.

    FAA and NTSB officials are investigating the accident.

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    Nigerian Woman Gives Birth aboard British Airways London-Bound Flight

    British airwaysA London-bound British Airways flight had to divert and make an emergency landing in Spain, after a 31 year old passenger went into labor.

    The flight originated from Nigeria, and was on its way to Heathrow Airport in London when a Nigerian passenger gave birth in the plane’s business class, at an altitude of 36,000 feet. The pilot then diverted the plane to Palme de Mallorce, the capital of Spanish autonomous community, Balearic Islands. The mother and baby boy were rushed to Son Espases hospital.

    Ujunwa Eneh Ozeh, hailing from Nigerian capital city Abuja, was 26 weeks pregnant and was accompanied by her 1 year old daughter, Nnedinma.

    Ozeh and her newly born child, named Michael, are in stable condition. According to hospital authorities, the mother will be discharged on Monday, however, Michael will be kept in the intensive care unit till his original due date in August.

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    Nepal Airlines Boeing Makes Emergency Landing in Kuala Lumpur

    A Nepal Airlines flight RA-416 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu had to return and make an emergency landing due to a technical issue.

    The Boeing 757 carrying around 54 people was on its way to Kathmandu when the pilots noticed vibration in the fan blade of its right engine. The Airline spokesperson, Ramhari Sharma, confirmed that the plane landed back in Kuala Lumpur about 45 minutes after it took off.

    None of the passengers and crew members were hurt.

    A Nepal Airlines official said “A technical team is arriving in Kuala Lumpur to fix the problem. We hope the aircraft would be released by Saturday evening and will probably start regular flights from Sunday.”

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    Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Complete Preliminary Information #MH370

    Friday, May 02, 09:30 PM MYT +0800 Media Statement 30 – MH370 Incident

    Malaysia Airlines wishes to make further clarification on the following matters:

    1) Malaysians On Board

    Malaysia Airlines confirms that 38 passengers of the 239 persons on board MH370 on 8 March 2014 were Malaysians. The names of the 38 Malaysians on board had been earlier shared in the Passenger Manifest which has been made public previously. Please see attached document for names of all Malaysian passengers onboard MH370.

    2) Exchange of Signals and Aircraft in Cambodia

    On the exchange of signals between ground and the aircraft soon after Ho Chi Minh Air Traffic Control advised that radio contact had not been established with MH370, as carried in the recently released MH370 Preliminary Report, Malaysia Airlines clarifies that what was referred to as signals was actually the aircraft displayed on the ‘Flight Following System’ screen. This was based on the aircraft projection at that point of time and not the actual aircraft position.

    When KL-ATCC (Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre) Watch Supervisor queried Malaysia Airlines OPS (Operations) on the status of MH370, Malaysia Airlines OPS informed KL-ATCC Supervisor that MH370 was still sighted over Cambodian airspace in the Flight-Following System, which is based on a flight-projection.

    The word “Cambodia” was displayed by the Flight-Following System on the screen when zoomed-in, leading Malaysia Airlines to deduce that the aircraft was flying in Cambodian airspace. The Flight-Following System did not display the name “Vietnam”, even though the aircraft was over Vietnam airspace.

    The responsibility of aircraft tracking monitoring resides with Air Traffic Control Centres. For airlines, it is normal to engage flight following systems to assist its pilots to manage in weather conditions or route diversions. Such airline flight following systems are non-primary and non-positive controlling.

    Flight following systems also do not trigger airlines of any abnormality. Such situations have to be pilot initiated. Unless otherwise, airlines’ operations control centres would continue to see the aircraft as flying on its normal route, based on projected or predicted positions and locations.

    To make the flight-following systems work successfully and effectively, it is important to have visual depiction of the aircraft’s position, coupled with confirmation by air-to-ground communications, such as through ACARS or Satcomm or VHF or HF.

    In the case of tracking MH370, Malaysia Airlines’ flight-following system indicated that the aircraft was flying, however, there was no communication from or with the pilot. Malaysia Airlines OPS attempted to communicate with MH370 after we were flag by KL-ATCC, but was never able to make contact.

    3) On the Cargo Carried

    About 2 tons, equivalent to 2,453kg, of cargo was declared as consolidated under one (1) Master Airway Bill (AWB). This Master AWB actually comprised 5 house AWB. Out of these 5 AWB, two (2) house AWB contained lithium ion batteries amounting to a total tonnage volume of 221kg. The balance 3 house AWB, amounting to 2,232kg, were declared as radio accessories and chargers.

    Ends.

    Thursday, May 01, 07:00 PM MYT +0800 Media Statement 29 by Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, Group Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Airlines

    Kuala Lumpur – 55 days since Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH370’s disappearance on 8 March 2014, a multi-nation search is still ongoing for the missing aircraft, its passengers and crew.

    This enormous search mission was carried out with the support from more than 20 states, firstly in the South China Sea, in the Malacca Straits, and on land along the Northern Corridor, and since mid-March when specialised assets were deployed in the air, on the sea and underwater in the southern Indian Ocean, where top experts concluded the aircraft’s last known position was.

    Despite such an intensified search operations, probably the largest one in human history, we have to face the hard reality that there is still no trace of the aircraft, and the fate of the missing passengers and crew remains unknown till this day.

    Malaysia Airlines is acutely conscious of, and deeply sympathetic to the continuing unimaginable anguish, distress and hardship suffered by those with loved ones on board the flight.

    We share the same very feelings and have been doing whatever we can to ease the pain of the families and to provide comfort for them.

    The Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) in Australia has announced early this week that the search operation in the southern Indian Ocean will be moving to a new phase in the coming weeks, and it is certainly not ending.

    In this new phase, the Malaysian Government, working together with Australia and Chinese governments, other international partners and specialised companies, plans to intensify the undersea search by deploying more technologically advanced assets in the search zone.

    The Malaysian Government recently announced its decision to establish an international investigation team led by Malaysia. The members will include accredited representatives from the US, UK, Australia, China, France and Singapore. Also included are representatives from relevant international organisations and the civil aviation industry.

    This investigation is an independent process in accordance with ICAO standards and recommended practices. Malaysia Airlines commits itself to fully support this independent investigation and provide full information and assistance as required.

    From past experience, we understand the continuing search and investigation would be a prolonged process. While Malaysia Airlines is committed to continuing its support to the families during the whole process, we are adjusting the mode of services and support. Instead of staying in hotels, the families of MH370 are advised to receive information updates on the progress of the search and investigation and other support by Malaysia Airlines within the comfort of their own homes, with the support and care of their families and friends.

    In line with this adjustment, Malaysia Airlines will be closing all of its Family Assistance Centres around the world by 7 May 2014.

    Malaysia Airlines will keep in close touch with the families on news updates through telephone calls, messages, the Internet, and face-to-face meetings. With the support of the Malaysian Government, the airline’s Family Support Centres will be established in Kuala Lumpur and in Beijing. The detailed plan of follow-up support and services will be informed in person to the families.

    Malaysia Airlines will make advanced compensation payments soonest possible to the nominated next-of-kin who are entitled to claim compensation, in order to meet their immediate economic needs.

    Such advanced payments will not affect the rights of the next-of-kin to claim compensation according to the law at a later stage, and will be calculated as part of the final compensation.

    Immediately after the next-of-kin have returned home, our representatives will be in touch with them at the earliest opportunity to initiate the advanced compensation payment process.

    At this very difficult time, we wish to once again thank everyone for their understanding and support, especially from the families of the passengers and crew on board.

    Malaysia Airlines’ thoughts and prayers remain with the families of all those onboard MH370.

    -Ends-

    Below statement and attached documents were made public and shared with NOKs at 8:27pm (Malaysia local time), 1 May 2014:

     

    Audio Below

    1. 1. ATC Delivery
    2. 2. KL Ground
    3. 3. KL Tower
    4. 4. KL Approach
    5. 5. KL Radar

    IF ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS BELOW DO NOT SHOW IMMEDIATELY, CLICK WHERE THE MESSAGE SAYS “HERE” AND THE DOCUMENT WILL LOAD TO VIEW.

    Actions Taken Between 0138 and 0614

    Cargo Manifest and Airway Bill

    Maps

    MH370 Preliminary Report

    Seating Chart

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    Swiss European Airlines Flight Diverted to Stansted Due to Engine Fire

    A Swiss European Airlines flight LX-487 had to make an emergency landing at London Stansted Airport, after one of its engines caught fire.

    The plane was en route from London City to Basel on the night of Sunday April 27. During the initial climb, its right hand engine caught fire, after which the crew decided to halt the climb at the altitude of 5000 feet and shut down the engine. The plane was then diverted to the Stansted Airport, where it made an uneventful emergency landing, around 30 minutes after it took off.

    All 82 passengers and 4 crew members exited safely. The flight was cancelled and the passengers were accommodated in another flight from London’s Heathrow Airport.

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    Indonesian Authorities Drop Charges against the Alleged Virgin Australia ‘Hijacker’

    VAThe Indonesian police have dropped all charges against the 28 year old Australian who allegedly tried to break into the cockpit of Virgin Australia Airlines flight en route from Brisbane to Bali.

    After thorough investigation, the police officials learned that Matt Christopher Lockley was actually looking for the toilet after waking up from deep sleep. He mistook the cockpit door for the toilet door.

    The special crime director of Bali police, Suryambodo Asmoro, said “The suspect we released because he has good intentions to go back to his country on his own, So he is going back alone, not accompanied or escorted.”

    Lockley thanked the Indonesian authorities “I want to say thank you to the Indonesian police and authorities…They only followed procedures and they have provided me with a lot of care and support and I’m grateful for everything they’ve done.”

    He denied the accusations made by the Virgin Australia officials about his being drunk. He said that he had only taken Panadol, Voltaren and Coca Cola before getting on the plane.

    This post is an update of “Passenger Tries to Break Into the Cockpit; Virgin Australia Flight Landed in Emergency due to Hijack Scare”

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    Sara Bajc on MH370, plus some thoughts on conspiracy theories

    Sara Bajc, partner of Philip Wood, a passenger who is presumed lost on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, does not believe believe that #MH370 crashed and is at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. She believes the plane is intact because there have been no bodies, no wreckage, no black boxes found and published in the media.

    This isn’t news. It is one woman’s opinion. Probably the opinion of many family members of those aboard the plane. And why not? If I had someone lost aboard a missing plane, I too would probably support any kind of theory that kept hope of their survival alive. Can’t put a price on hope.

    But.

    What if there were a cockpit fire that emitted toxic smoke and destroyed electronics?

    What if someone shot down the plane?

    What if someone used some new Sci-Fi-like weapon?

    What if Malaysia did track the plane on March 8 as this tabloid says?

    What if the UK firm Inmarsat tracking is wrong? What if it is right?

    I’ve written enough fiction (and lived in spitting distance of Hollywood’s crazy cereal of fruits, nuts and flakes) to know that the marriage of “what if” and a couple of rational-sounding factoids can birth everything from a practically real-life scenario to wildly impossible science-fiction-fantasy voodoo whacko-crazy delights. So there you have it.

    You know what I believe? No one has the answers. Until someone is standing in front of me with proof, in my not-so-secret heart of hearts published in full naked glory out here on the internet, I will believe that anyone who says they think they know…is paranoid.

    Now…how can I fit all of this into a tweet?

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    Passenger Tries to Break Into the Cockpit; Virgin Australia Flight Landed in Emergency due to Hijack Scare

    VA

    A Virgin Australia Airlines flight en route from Brisbane to Bali, Indonesia, was forced to make emergency landing after the flight crew reported an attempted hijacking by a passenger.

    The Boeing 737-800 was approximately 180 nautical miles away from Denpasar International Airport (about 30 minutes before the scheduled landing time), when a 27 year old Australian passenger, Matt Christopher Lockley, started banging at the cockpit door and tried to break in. The flight crew hand-cuffed him, took him to the cabin crew area and sent a mayday signal to the control towers in Makassar and Denpasar, indicating a possible hijacking attempt. The Bali airport authorities then prepared for an emergency landing protocol for the flight VA41, which was carrying 139 passengers and 6 crew members.

    According to a Transport ministry official Herry Bakti, the emergency signal was received at about 2pm local time. The authorities from Virgin Australia confirm that the pilot had sent the standard signal code for ‘unlawful interference’, after which standard emergency response protocols were adopted.

    The plane made an uneventful emergency landing and the Bali Police Chief, Inspector Benny Mokalu confirms that none of the passengers or crew members were harmed. The Indonesian military troops arrested Lockley, after the plane touched the ground.

    Matt Christopher Lockley hails from Queensland, Australia and holds a driving license and a plumbing industry council card. The cabin crew reported that he looked ‘unstable’ and ‘paranoid’ during the flight. Police officials said that he claimed that he was hammering the cockpit door because he wanted to take some medicines from his luggage.

    Heru Sudjatmiko, Virgin Australia’s Bali manager maintains that a drunk passenger tried to enter the cockpit which forced the emergency landing of the plane. It was not a hijacking attempt, it was a ‘miscommunication’. “I repeat, this is just a miscommunication. How the miscommunication occurred, I cannot answer because I wasn’t there. But it’s not true to say that the plane was hijacked…. I don’t know exactly what happened when the pilot communicated with the air traffic controller at Ngurah Rai,” he said.

    Lockey is being investigated by the local police and it is not clear what charges will be made against him.

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    Norwegian Air Flight Passenger Makes Bomb Threat Midair

    Norwegian AirA Norwegian Air flight en route from Copenhagen, Denmark to Oslo, Norway had to make an emergency landing in Sweden, due to a bomb threat from an on-board passenger.

    The Boeing 737, carrying around 94 people, was on its way on April 25 afternoon when a passenger told a crew member that he had placed a bomb in the cargo hold. Following the threat, the plane made emergency landing at Landvetter airport, Gothenburg, Sweden, at around 3.30pm GMT.

    Lasse Sandaker-Nielsen, the spokesperson for Norwegian Air said “Passengers have left the plane and the man who had warned of the bomb is under control by the police.”

    Björ Blixter, a Gothenburg Police official said that the investigation is underway.

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    Smoke in the Cockpit forces Envoy Air Operated AA Flight to Make Emergency Landing

    TIA

    The smell of smoke forced the American Airlines flight 3454 to make emergency landing at Tampa International Airport, Florida, on Thursday, April 24.

    The Embraer ERJ 145, belonging to Envoy Air and operated by American Airlines, was carrying 46 passengers and 3 crew members from Tallahassee to Miami. The passengers included Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and the Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto Carvalho.

    The flight took off at 8:30 pm, after a 1 hour 45 minutes delay from the original scheduled time. Some passengers reported that after about 30 minutes into the flight, they heard an explosion, following which the smoke could be smelled in the plane.

    However, according to Laura Masvidal, the spokesperson of American Airlines, there was no explosion and the decision for emergency landing was made due to smell of smoke in the cockpit.

    The flight made an uneventful emergency landing at about 9:32 p.m. All the passengers and crew members exited safely.

    The passengers were accommodated in hotels. They were given the choice to either take a shuttle for Miami or stay in hotel and take the flight to Miami next morning.

    The cause of smoke is being investigated.

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    Malaysia Search Update

    Examination of salvage floating off the coast of Australia revealed riveted sheet-metal that is not believed to be part of the missing plane, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has said.

    The matter was found 6 miles east of Augusta. The search has been ongoing since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370’s disappearance on March 8, guided by data, hampered by bad weather.

    The search is continuing based on analysis of the location of the pings that were detected before the black boxes’ pinger battery ran out. It had been expected to last 30 days. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing had been en route from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing and veered far off course for unknown reasons, leaving a puzzle perplexing international authorities.

    Read more:

    New Malaysian MH370 Investigation Team Appointed by Government

    #MH370 Statement by Orion Captain regarding #Search Status

    MH370: One Ping Does Not A Discovery Make. Or Does it?

    Prime Minister Endorses Australian-based search

    Malaysia Airlines MH370 Where Are You? Can Satellites Tell Us

    Stolen Passports aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370

    No Mayday, then Gone

    Malaysia Airlines Flight Update

    Malaysia Airlines Flight Missing

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    UN Chopper Down in Monrovia with Injuries

    monrovia

    Impromptu landing in Thinkers Village in Monrovia.
    An RA 22426 United Nations helicopter carrying 5 health workers and 4 crew from Spriggs Payne Airport to River Gee, Fishtown made a forced landing when the pilot detected engine problems. Only the pilot and possibly a crew member sustained injuries; apparently they had deep cuts in their heads. The pilot was taken by ambulance to be hospitalized.

    The Mil Mi-8AMT was operated by UTAir.

    None of the health workers reported injury.

    The pilot warmed the engine from around 11: 30 to 11:50, then took off with passengers and landed twice with mechanical issues.

    broken-mil-wheel
    During the forced landing/crash, the helicopter impacted a building under construction and another structure. Both were destroyed. The chopper’s right tire broke and the chopper’s front end sustained damaged. Liberia National Police and UNMIL Security responded to the scene and an investigation is underway.

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    SkyWest’s Delta Connection Flight Hits a Bird

    SkyWestA SkyWest Airlines flight en route from Minneapolis to Rapid City had to return and land back after a bird hit the aircraft at about 4000 feet altitude.

    The Canadair CRJ-200 aircraft, belonging to SkyWest airlines and operating as a Delta airlines connection, was taking 50 passengers to Rapid City, South Dakota. The plane took off at about 9:48pm on April 22 and just after 10 minutes, experienced a bird strike. The pilot then immediately returned and landed at St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis.

    The bird strike damaged the nose cone of the aircraft. The director of corporate communications for SkyWest Airlines, Marissa Snow confirmed that the bird strike forced the flight 4480 to return and land in Minneapolis.

    The passengers were accommodated in hotels and were taken to the Rapid City next day, through another plane.

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    New Malaysian MH370 Investigation Team Appointed by Government

    In order “…to evaluate, investigate and determine the actual cause of the accident so similar accidents could be avoided in the future” an international team has been appointed by the government of Malaysia to investigate MH370.

    Australia reports debris washing ashore that may be connected to the crash. If the debris proves to be from the plane, ocean patterns may be studied to help establish positioning. If the debris is related, it will be the first hard evidence found.

    The current search focuses in a 10-kilometer radius of the area of pings sourced, it is believed, from MH370’s black boxes before the ping batteries ran out.

    Poor weather conditions have curtailed air searches, although ships have continued.

    The position of Malaysian authorities is that the plane was deliberately diverted, but mechanical failure has not been ruled out.

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    Police Service Eurocopter Missing in Botswana

    Botswana Police ServiceA Botswana Police Service Eurocopter AS350 was en route on a routine patrol between Gumare and Maun Botswana, and went missing in the Okavango. The flight left at 19:10 and was expected at 20:10.

    The captain, copilot and an Airborne Law Enforcement Officer were aboard at the time it disappeared. A search is underway, but it has not yet been located. The families of those who are missing have been notified.

    The police enlisted the public and local pilots in the search as well as the Botswana Defence Force, (BDF) and Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS). Search and rescue teams have been deployed, and there is also a meeting at Maun Airport concerning the disappearance.