Page 131 - Disaster Accident
Several rockets strike Libyan capital
A number of rockets struck parts of Tripoli late Tuesday after strongman Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive earlier this month to take the Libyan capital, witnesses and AFP journalists said. At least seven powerful explosions rocked the city centre. Shortly afterwards, witnesses said, columns of smoke were seen above the district of Abu Salim in the south of the city, which was hit by a number of rockets.
Boeing 737 MAX training changes are 'suitable': Official
Changes that US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has proposed in the wake of two deadly accidents of its top-selling 737 MAX aircraft are "suitable", a government source has said. However, Boeing has not yet submitted a planned software fix to the Federal Aviation Administration, the source told AFP on Tuesday. The source said "the training is operationally suitable. Boeing has yet to submit the final software package." Boeing has been working on a software fix for its anti-stall system following crashes shortly after takeoff in Ethiopia last month and Indonesia in October.
Malfunctioning Navy chopper landed in water, crew safe
A major accident was averted by the crew of a Chetak helicopter of the Indian Navy last week when the chopper developed a snag but was successfully landed in water, an official said. The chopper was lost but there was no loss of life. The helicopter developed a technical snag, but its crew, showing "immense professional prowess and sound training", succeeded in landing it in the water and successfully 'egressed' from it, the Navy said. The helicopter was lost but the crew was safe, it said, adding that a Board of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the technical failure.
Italy sends humanitarian supplies to flood-hit Iran
Rome, April 16 (IANS/AKI) A humanitarian aid flight left from the southern Italian city of Brindisi on Tuesday carrying 40 tonnes of essential human aid for victims of the flash floods that have afflicted much of Iran over the past month, the Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Govt asks airlines to keep fares in check (Roundup)
The government on Tuesday advised domestic airlines to keep air fares in check after high prices were found on around 10 routes.
With crop fire incidents on rise, AAP demands compensation
With an increase in the number of incidents of fire in the standing wheat crop, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday demanded that the Punjab government should give 100 per cent compensation for the losses suffered by the farmers.
3 injured in fire at wedding venue in northwest Delhi
Three people, including a police and a fire official, were injured in a fire that broke out at a wedding venue in northwest Delhi's Netaji Subhash Place Tuesday, officials said. Police were informed about the fire at around 12:30 am, they added. Two pandals at the venue had caught fire and a wedding function was underway in one of them, a senior police officer said. About 12 police personnel, along with officers of the Fire Department, started the evacuation process and 22 fire tenders were pressed into service, he said. The blaze was brought under control after a few hours, he added. The injured were identified as Delhi Police Head Constable Ravinder, Delhi Fire Service officer Satish and catering service employee Ankit, the officer said. About 400 people present at the venue were safely evacuated, he said, adding that the officers sustained injuries during the evacuation. All three were rushed to a hospital, where they were treated and later, discharged, he added. A case was ...
Small plane crashes in southern Chile killing 6
A small plane crashed on top of a home in the southern Chilean city of Puerto Montt, killing all six people aboard, authorities said Tuesday. The plane crashed near "La Paloma" aerodrome about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) south of the Chilean capital of Santiago. TV footage and news photos showed the back end of the plane inside the home while firefighters rushed to the scene to put out flames spreading to a neighboring house. Puerto Montt Mayor Harry Jurgensen said the plane fell shortly after taking off and had tanks of fuel on board. He said the pilot and five passengers were killed.
Meghalaya to appeal to SC on trapped miners
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said the state government will appeal to the Supreme Court to call off the rescue operation to evacuate bodies of 13 coal miners trapped inside an illegal 370-ft coal pit for 125 days now.
Woman dragged as saree gets stuck in Metro door
A woman passenger on Tuesday suffered head injuries after being dragged for a few meters on a Delhi Metro platform as her saree got stuck in the closing doors when she was deboarding, officials said.
Piyush Goyal discusses targets for 2019-20 with general managers, other senior officials of Railways
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Tuesday held a meeting with general managers of all zonal railways, production units and other senior officials to discuss targets for the 2019-20 financial year, an official of the national transporter said. In the meeting held via video-conferencing, Goyal also took suggestions for improving safety, mobility and the overall performance of the Indian Railways. The officials were informed that a portal is being developed to manage targets, monthly achievements, KPIs and data analytics online. "The GMs/DRMs will be able to get reports online about monthly and cumulative achievements. It was proposed to hold such video conferences around the 15th of every month to discuss monthly achievements of zones/divisions," the official said. A host of parameters were discussed in the meeting. These included safety, punctuality, freight loading, passengers, earnings, expenditures, infrastructure and capacity augmentation among other things. Discussing the achievements
Following threat letter, security beefed up across Haryana, Himachal
Security has been tightened across Haryana and Himachal Pradesh after an official of the Ambala Cantonment railway station Tuesday received a threat letter, officials said. The letter threatened to blow up railway stations and religious places in the state "to avenge the atrocities against Muslims by Hindus", Station House Officer (GRP) Ram Bachahan said. "The station director at the Ambala Cantonment railway station on Tuesday received a letter threatening to blow up a few railway stations of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh including Ambala Canttand various religious places," Bachahan said. The station's director B S Gill found the letter on his table, he said, adding that there was no stamp of a post office on the letter cover. The station director had received a similar threat a few months ago, he said further. A security alert has been issued at most of the railway stations and other vulnerable places in in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, the SHO said.
Awaiting 'emergency liquidity support' from lenders: Jet Airways
Cash-strapped Jet Airways Tuesday said it is awaiting "emergency liquidity support" from the SBI-led consortium of lenders to arrest further deterioration in its services. The airline, which is operating only five planes, said its operations have been severely impacted due to critical liquidity position. "The company's leadership, in consultation with its board of directors, is engaged with lenders in connection with the said emergency funding request... The company is also in constant engagement with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Civil Aviation in this regard," it said in a filing to the BSE. The filing was made in response to a clarification sought by the exchange regarding reports that the airline was likely to temporarily shut down its operations.
Dust storm damages part of tent for PM Modi's Guj rally
A dust storm Tuesday damaged part of a tent being erected for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's April 17 rally in Himmatnagar town in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat. Some covering material of the structure was either blown away or torn apart, local BJP leaders said, adding that the structure, which is intended to provide shade to people and dignitaries on stage, remained largely intact. Gujarat Home minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja was taking stock of the preparations when the incident occurred. He exuded confidence that the damaged portion will be repaired soon. "The PM's rally will take place as perschedule tomorrow afternoon. The storm damaged some potion of the dome as well as the decoration. It will be repaired soon," Jadeja told reporters. As per a BJP release, Modi would address three election rallies Wednesday at Himmatnagar, Surendranagar and Anand, and one at Amreli on Thursday. The Meteorological Centre here had issued a warning earlier in the day that "thunderstorm .
Elephant dies after hitting train in Assam
An elephant died in Assam's Hojai district in the wee hours of Tuesday after being hit by a train, said Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials.
Indian Navy loses helicopter in Arabian sea
A major "catastrophe" was averted by a naval aircrew when their Chetak helicopter ditched at Arabian sea last week, the Navy said Tuesday. It said a board of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the technical failure leading to the loss of the helicopter. The helicopter was part of an Indian naval warship which was deployed in the Arabian sea. "As per reports, the helicopter developed technical failure prior to ditching and the crew displayed immense professional prowess and sound training in deftly landing the helicopter in the water and successfully egressing from it," the Navy said. It said all three crew members were safe.
Trump's Notre-Dame advice 'risible', says fire chief
As Notre-Dame in Paris burned, US President Donald Trump tweeted some advice to French firefighters. "Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!" But doing that would have brought the ancient cathedral crashing down, French fire chiefs told AFP Tuesday. "Everything would have collapsed," said Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Bernier, a fire chief who speaks for the national civil defence organisation and who described the suggestion as "risible". Releasing even one load from a Canadair water bomber used to fight forest fires on Notre-Dame would be "the equivalent of dropping three tonnes of concrete at 250 kilometres per hour " on the ancient monument. "It would have been like bowling with the cathedral... the two towers might have fallen. "It was technically impossible, undoable and most of all would have been utterly useless" to douse the flames from the air, Bernier added. In fact, dropping a 6,300-litre load from a Canadair water bomber would have put ...
Jet Airways operating 5 planes, seeks emergency funds: Kharola
Jet Airways has sought emergency funds from banks and is currently operating only five planes, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said Tuesday. The cash-strapped airline has already suspended its international operations till April 18. Separately, the civil aviation ministry would convene meetings of representatives of airlines and airports on April 18 to discuss capacity expansion, rising airfares and other issues.
DGCA asks airlines to keep air fares in check
India's civil aviation regulator on Tuesday advised airlines to keep air fares in check as Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu took stock of the situation in wake of Jet Airways' troubles.
Fire at shopping centre in Andheri
A fire broke out at a shopping centre in suburban Andheri (East) Tuesday evening, a fire brigade official said. There were no reports so far of anyone getting injured, he said, adding that efforts were on to douse the flames. The blaze started at shop number 14 at Amazon Shopping Centre near Indian Bank, he said. The fire brigade control room got information about the fire at 5.10 pm, he said.