Page 859 - Disaster Accident
Fire in Lengpui Airport in Mizoram, no casualty
A fire broke out in the air traffic control (ATC) tower at the Lengpui Airport in Mizoram, but flight operations would not be affected, a civil aviation official said here. No casualty was reported in the blaze though some equipment were damaged, Deputy Director of state Civil Aviation Saidenga said. The fire was noticed at around 9.30 am and it took half-an-hour to extinguish it, he told PTI. The fire was suspected to have been caused by an electric short circuit inside the tower. He said the flights would operate today as usual as alternative arrangements have been made for the ATC from a room inside the terminal building. Three flights operate from the lone airport in the state located near here. While two connect Aizawl and Kolkata, the third operates on the Aizawl-Guwahati-Delhi route.
Tamil Nadu forest fire doused: Defence Minister
An Indian Air Force helicopter doused the fire at Kurangani hills area in Tamil Nadu that left nine persons dead, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.At least 16 Garud Commando Force personnel have been engaged in the search and rescue operation at the site, the Defence Minister said, adding they were working on moving the dead bodies to a place from where they can be collected.According to the minister, two helicopters have been engaged in the task of moving the bodies.At least 27 people have so far been rescued from the site, out of which ten suffered minor injuries and eight were seriously hurt.The IAF was on Sunday pressed into action by Sitharaman after reports of the fire surfaced.The operation is underway and further details are awaited.
Nine dead in Kurangani forest fire
Theni District Collector on Monday confirmed that nine people have died in the forest fire that broke out in Kurangani hills area here on Sunday.Among the deceased are four women, four men, and a child. Six of out of the nine dead are from Chennai, while three belong to Erode.So far, as many as 27 people have been rescued, out of which ten suffered minor injuries while eight sustained serious injuries.The Indian Air Force (IAF) was pressed into action by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after reports of the forest fire surfaced on Sunday.Meanwhile, 16 commandos of the Garud Commando Force and four choppers from the IAF, with one of them at standby, arrived here on Monday morning to commence the search and rescue operation.The operation is underway and further details are awaited.
Aid reaching cut-off PNG villages devastated after big quake
Aid is finally reaching remote communities cut-off by a major earthquake that hit Papua New Guinea's highlands two weeks ago as the relief chief on Monday described devastating scenes of buried homes and collapsed mountains. Rescue workers have had to grapple with landslides, blocked roads and downed power and communications to reach isolated villages after the 7.5-magnitude quake struck on February 26 in the Pacific nation's mountainous interior. More than 100 people were killed, many more remain missing and thousands were injured, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said, while survivors have had to endure strong aftershocks. He added late Sunday that food and water were being airlifted to remote areas via Australian Defence Force C130 aircraft and Chinook helicopters. "This is an unprecedented disaster affecting a vast area with many remote communities," the PNG leader said in a statement. The influx of supplies came as the nation's emergency controller, Bill Hamblin, who is leading the ..
Theni fire: Garud Commando Force, IAF begin rescue operation
16 commandos of the Garud Commando Force and four choppers from the Indian Air Force (IAF), with one of them at standby, arrived here on Monday morning to commence the search and rescue operation of those stuck in the Kurangani forest fire.As many as 15 people were rescued from the fire that broke out in Kurangani hills here on Sunday.However, Theni District Collector Pallavi Baldev clarified that she had not received any information on the casualty of the blaze.Baldev further informed that around 37 people in two separate groups reached Kolukkumalai for trekking. They camped in an estate and were returning when the fire broke out in the forest.The Indian Air Force (IAF) was pressed into action by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami sought help on the matter, and rescued nearly 15 students.Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan conveyed his wishes to those recovering from the "heart-rending" forest fire."Kurangani forest .
9 dead in TN forest fire
Nine trekkers have died in a forest fire on the Kurangani Hills in Tamil Nadu, the District Collector said on Monday.
Two die in NYC's East River chopper crash
At least two persons were killed when a helicopter went down in New York's East River on Sunday, authorities said.Three others remain in critical condition and the pilot was rescued after the Eurocopter AS350 went upside-down and submerged when emergency responders reached it, CNN News quoted the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Commissioner Daniel Nigro as saying.The pilot was rushed to the hospital for observation."One of the most difficult parts of the rescue was that five people were tightly harnessed," Nigro said. "People had to be cut out."According to New York Police Department Commissioner James O'Neill, the Liberty Helicopters chopper was chartered for a private photo shoot.Liberty Helicopters describes itself as "the largest and most experienced helicopter sightseeing and charter service in New York City".The company has "a fleet of 10 states of the art Airbus Helicopters (formerly American Eurcopter)", according to its website. "We have been in business and ...
At least 2 dead in New York river helicopter crash
At least two people have died when the helicopter they were riding in crashed into Manhattan's East River, officials said. The red chopper, owned by tourism group Liberty and carrying six people including the pilot, fell into the river near the upscale Upper East Side neighborhood around 90th Street shortly after 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) at the end of a sunny day. "The pilot freed himself, the other five did not," Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told reporters during a brief press conference. "We are told the five people were all tied tightly in harnesses that had to be cut and removed." Divers rushed to the scene and freed the passengers, two of whom were pronounced dead, amid strong currents and frigid temperatures, Nigro added. The other three were taken to hospital in critical condition. Liberty organizes aerial tours of America's financial capital. Police chief James O'Neill said the aircraft had been leased by photographers. New York 1 television, citing police sources, reported that ..
Two dead in chopper crash in New York
A helicopter crashed in New York City's East River on Sunday, killing at least two people, according to police.
Official: At least 2 dead in NYC helicopter crash
A helicopter has crashed into New York City's East River, killing at least two people. A spokesman for the mayor's office, Eric Phillips, confirmed the fatalities on Twitter today. He says at least one person has been rescued. The helicopter, a model used by tourist companies, went down near Gracie Mansion, the mayoral residence. A small armada of rescue boats searched for survivors. Video posted on Twitter shows a red helicopter land hard in the water and then flip on its side as its rotors beat the water. News stations showed video of rescue boats at the spot where the helicopter crashed. A Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman says the Eurocopter AS350 went down just after 7 pm (2:30 am IST). It was not immediately known how many people were aboard the aircraft.
FAA: Helicopter crashes in New York City's East River
A helicopter has crashed in New York City's East River. A Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman says the Eurocopter AS350 went down just after 7 pm (local time) today in the waterway just north of Roosevelt Island and is reportedly inverted in the water. It was not immediately known how many people were aboard the aircraft at the time. Police harbour units are at the scene. Video posted on Twitter shows a red helicopter land hard in the water and then tip over as its rotors slap at the water. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. No other information has been released.
Samastipur road mishap: Nitish Kumar announces ex-gratia for victims' kin
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced ex-gratia of Rs four lakh each for the next of kin of the victims killed in Bihar's Samastipur road mishap.Kumar also directed the officials concerned to ensure better treatment of the injured persons.Earlier on Sunday, at least eight people, including three women, died after a head-on collision between an auto rickshaw and a truck in Samastipur's Mushrigharari area.The incident took place around 78 kilometers from the state capital.As soon as the incident took place, the victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were declared brought dead.The administration is trying to identify the deceased persons.
Theni fire: No information on casualty, says DC
Theni District Collector, Pallavi Baldev on Monday said that she has not received any information on the casualty in the forest fire that erupted near Kurangani hills here.Baldev informed that around 37 people in two separate groups reached Kolukkumalai for trekking on Saturday and a day after the fire suddenly erupted."They camped in an estate and were returning when the fire broke out in the forest. I haven't got information on the casualty. Fifteen people have received burn injuries," she said.Earlier on Sunday, 15 students trapped in a forest fire near the hills were rescued by the Indian Air Force (IAF)."Just now I have spoken to District Collector. He communicated that 10-15 students have been rescued. They are coming down from the hill. Operation continues," Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharman said.The IAF was pressed into action by the Defence Minister after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami sought help on the matter.Sitharaman had said that the Southern Command .
11 dead in Turkish plane crash in Iran
All 11 people on board the Turkish plane crashed in Iran on Sunday are dead, media reports said.
Man's severed leg used as pillow: Yogi announces Rs 2 lakh compensation
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday announced a compensation of Rs 2,00,000 for the patient whose amputated leg was used as a pillow to prop up his head in Jhansi.The Chief Minister also asked the Chief Medical Secretary to submit a report of the incident in one day.Yesterday, a road accident victim claimed that the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College hospital staff put his amputated leg under his head in order to help him.After the case came to light, principal Sadhna Kaushik assured strict action against those who are found guilty.She also informed that a four-member committee was constituted to find out as to who put the severed leg under the patient's head.Later, Principal Sadhna Kaushik informed that a senior resident orthopedic doctor, an EMO nurse in-charge and one other person was suspended in the concerned matter.A departmental proceeding was initiated against consultant on-call doctor in the matter.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh ...
11 killed in Turkish plane crash
At least 11 people were killed after a private Turkish aircraft crashed in southwestern Iran.According to Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), the Istanbul-bound plane, which took off from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), was carrying eight passengers and three crew members.The aircraft crashed in Kiyar district of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province.Reportedly, everyone on board has died in the crash.
15 trekkers rescued from TN forest fire, efforts on to reach others
Fifteen of the 36 trekkers caught up in a forest fire at Kurangani Hills in Theni district were rescued on Sunday even as a massive search and rescue operation was on to rescue the remaining ones, an official said.
Turkish plane crashes in Iran
A Turkish jet with 11 people on board crashed in the suburban area of Iran's western city of Shehr-e Kord on Sunday, the media reported.
Private plane flying from Sharjah to Turkey crashes in Iran
A Turkish private jet flying from the United Arab Emirates to Istanbul with at least 11 people on board crashed tonight in a mountainous region of Iran, authorities said. There was no immediate report of injuries. Iranian state television quoted Mojtaba Khaledi, the spokesman of the country's emergency management organisation, as saying the plane hit a mountain in Shahr-e Kord and burst into flames. Shahr-e Kord is some 370 kilometres (230 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. The state-run IRNA news agency and state television said rescuers were trying to reach the scene. Villagers near the crash say they saw flames coming from the plane's engine before the crash, according to a report by Iran's state-run judiciary news agency Mizan. The semi-official Fars news agency said the plane took off from Sharjah International Airport on its way to Istanbul. Officials at the airport did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Today's crash comes after an Iranian ATR-72, a twin-engine .
IAF deployed to rescue students trapped in forest fire in TN
The Indian Air Force was pressed into service today to rescue college students caught in a forest fire in Tamil Nadu's Theni district, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. Sitharaman said she has asked the Southern Air Command to coordinate the search and rescue operation and evacuate those trapped in the fire. "The @IAF_MCC are working with local authorities in Theni distt, Tamil Nadu to evacuate all trapped in the forest fire in Kurangani. Smt @nsitharaman has spoken to Collector of Theni Distt & Southern Air Command to co-ordinate a quick & effective Search & Rescue effort," a tweet on the official Twitter handle of the defence minister said. Around 20 college students are trapped in the forest fire near Kurangani. The defence minister said that IAF has been pressed into service following a request from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami. Sitharaman was approached by Chief Minister K Palaniswami for help after the students were trapped in the forest fire. The