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Contact photographer Yunjin Lee
What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300 en route from Islamabad to Medina
Where: Karachi
When: Sep 12th 2012
Who: 187 passengers
Why: After the plane’s hydraulic system developed a fault, pilots informed ATC.
ATC recommended diversion to Karachi. Pilots made a safe landing at 9.22 pm. An alternative flight was provided.
By nightfall tonight, 34 bodies have been recovered.
Investigative crews sort through baby sandals, and airplane parts drifting ashore. People are questioning why the flight was not delayed due to the storm raging at the time of takeoff.
The USS-Ramage, and US P-3 surveillance aircraft are helping with search and rescue efforts.
The plane was last serviced on Dec. 25.
Reports abound that the plane was seen to be on fire on its way down. If reports of an engine fire proved to be correct, it would have been difficult to handle at such a low altitude; but reports of a lighting strike, compounded by poor visibility and high winds compounded by a bird strike are equally as possible.
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Contact photographer Ignatius
What: Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Manila to Bandar Seri Begawan
Where: Kota Kinabalu
When: Apr 18 2010
Who: 150 people
Why: While en route, the flight developed engine trouble. The plane made a safe landing and was able to resume the flight after several hours.
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing en route from Oakland to Reno
Where: Oakland
When: August 28, 2012
Who: 119 passengers
Why: Southwest Flight 2899 took off but moments later at about 9:30 a.m., a flight attendant smelled smoke.
Pilots diverted the flight back to Oakland and made a safe landing. Fire and rescue crews were on standby.
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Contact photographer Bruno Bevivino – Roma Spotters Club
What: Delta Airlines Airbus A330-200 en route from Portland, OR to Amsterdam
Where: Atlantic Ocean
When: Jul 6th 2010
Who: 236 passengers
Why: While en route south of Greenland, the plane’s pressurization system developed problems, and the pilot decided to divert to Goose Bay, landing safely at Goose Bay about an hour before their scheduled landing in Amsterdam. A replacement jet (Boeing) was provided for the passengers so that 22 hours later, they arrived in Amsterdam safely. The original Airbus was relegated to maintenance and repaired.
On January 9, 2013 Wednesday afternoon, a Lufthansa Airbus A320-214 was on the runway at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport preparing for a flight to Munich International when the plane slid off the tarmac.
Passengers disembarked and were returned to the terminal. No word on if the same plane continued their journey, if they were provided alternative transportation, or housed in the interim. No word on the cause of the incident.
The plane was towed off the runway.
None of the 76 aboard were reported injured.
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Contact photographer Daniel Nicholson
What: Arkefly Boeing 737-800 en route from Kittilä to Amsterdam
Where: Rovaniemi Finland
When: Jan 3rd 2010
Who: 181 passengers, 7 crew
Why: After takeoff, the crew assumed there was a tail strike (no indication if this was witnessed or indicated by a resultant problem). The crew diverted to Rovaniemi where a maintenance crew was flown in to assess the plane.