
American Airlines flight lands in Edinburgh after 'emergency onboard'
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A flight declared a medical emergency before landing in Edinburgh.
The incident happened on flight AAL278, which left Philadelphia International Airport at around 7.25pm on Saturday, June 14. While flying over Falkirk, the pilot declared a medical emergency.
The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, landed safely in Edinburgh at around 6.50am on Sunday morning.
Paramedics were waiting for the individual. Their condition is not currently known.
An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed: "As per ATC request, a medical emergency was declared prior to landing yesterday morning.
"Flight landed without incident and was met by paramedics."
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Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
Which is the safest seat on a plane? Here's what the experts say
The survival of Vishwash Kumar Ramesh in the Air India crash is being named the ' Miracle of Seat 11A ', and much has been made of the fact that he had been sat beside the exit row. But are some plane seats really safer than others? Airline manufacturers insist not. They say that observing seat-belt signs and taking the brace position are the two things that will increase your chance of survival in an accident. Studies, however, suggest that there could be some deeper science into which seats come with a higher probability of survival in the event of a crash. The benefits of sitting beside an emergency exit Full details of Vishwash Kumar Ramesh's survival are not known, although when interviewed by local journalists in the aftermath of the crash he described being surrounded by bodies before standing up and climbing out of the plane via the emergency exit. Seat 11A is a front-row economy class seat, located directly next to an emergency exit on an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. There are also emergency exits located at the front, middle and rear of the plane. The fact that Mr Ramesh was in seat 11A, directly next to an emergency exit, would have certainly improved his chances of survival having lived through the immediate impact of the crash. A University of Greenwich study, commissioned by the Civil Aviation Authority, checked the seating locations of 2,000 survivors in 105 accidents worldwide. They found that passengers who survived the immediate impact of a crash but were sitting more than six rows from the exit were less likely to live. Are wing seats marginally safer? Popular belief has it that sitting near the wings of an aircraft may increase your chance of survival, given that these seats are structurally reinforced. This could also have improved Mr Ramesh's chances of survival, given that seat 11A is located within the 'wing box' section of the plane. Professor Edwin Galea, Director of the Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) at the University of Greenwich, told The Telegraph: 'The physically strongest part of the aircraft is the part of the fuselage where the wings are, called the wing box. It's where the wings join to the fuselage. That's the strongest part of the aircraft because there's the most structure there.' However, the fact that an aircraft's fuel supplies are stored within the wings could make this a more dangerous place to be sitting, depending on the circumstances of a crash. Is the back of the cabin really safer? Some studies suggest that you are most likely to survive an air crash if you are sitting towards the back of an aircraft. According to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation of 20 crashes since 1971, that featured both fatalities and survivors, passengers sitting towards the rear of the cabin had a 69 per cent chance of survival. Those sitting at the front of the plane had a 49 per cent chance, while those sitting around the wing had a 59 per cent chance. This tallies with another study by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) which looked at crashes from 1985 to 2000 and found that survival rates were 62 per cent at the front of the cabin, 61 per cent in the middle, and 68 per cent at the back of the plane. Explaining these percentages, MIT aeronautics and astronautics professor John Hansman describes the front of the aircraft as being a bit like a 'shock absorber' in certain crash scenarios. MIT ran a real-world simulation of a Boeing 727 plane crash in 2012, with an aircraft full of dummy passengers in a remote part of the Sonoran Desert in Baja California, Mexico. The experiment was broadcast live in a Channel 4 programme called The Crash. The simulation found that all first-class passengers would have died in the crash, with the passenger in 7A catapulted 500ft from the plane. The people in the middle of the plane would have suffered broken bones, while the people in the back of the plane would have walked away alive. Why the middle seat is preferable A report by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) found that the middle seat comes with an increased chance of survival. Assessing disasters from 1985 to 2020, the FAA found that passengers sitting in the middle seats of the back row had a 28 per cent fatality rate, making it the safest place in the plane. It could be that passengers in the middle seat are partially protected by those either side of them, who will absorb some of the impact of the crash. In addition, aisle seats are more likely to suffer from falling debris from the overhead lockers during a crash, while passengers in window seats could experience the longest waits before evacuating an aircraft. A sense check from an aviation expert Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation Cranfield University, stresses the incredible safety record of modern aircraft. 'All seats on modern jet aircraft are incredibly safe,' he told The Telegraph. 'The accident record is incredible, especially if you compare it to other modes of transport like driving. 'The design of the seat and even the fixtures around them must meet strict crashworthiness standards as well as flammability standards. The space around exits and the distance between a seat and an exit is also tightly controlled. 'We shouldn't forget the role of the cabin crew too – essential in an emergency where we know their commands can make all the difference. 'Passengers can contribute to their own safety by reading the safety card and listening to the crew briefing. In an evacuation, leaving their luggage behind will help their survival as well as those behind them. 'While today's accident would be very difficult to survive, it is unusual. The majority of aircraft accidents are survivable these days. This is partly because every time an accident happens, we take the time to investigate – not to apportion blame or liability but to learn lessons to prevent recurrence. 'This is cultural and something that has helped make aviation safe.'


Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Air India crash could trigger 'aerophobia' as expert shares tips for dealing with flying fears
The horrendous images of the Air India plane crash have been hard to escape the last few days. A total of 270 bodies have since been recovered following the horror crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12. The London-bound flight crashed shortly after take-off into the hostel block of a medical college. Among those believed to have been killed are 241 of the passengers and crew on board the flight, including at least 50 Britons. The remainder are thought to have been on the ground or inside the doctors' hostel building the aircraft hit on impact. One passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, survived and escaped the wreckage of the Boeing 787. The incident is likely to escalate anxiety among many who have an intense fear of flying, say mental health experts. Approximately one in ten people in the UK suffer from aerophobia, the fear of flying, according to Anxiety UK. When tragedies occur, that fear is intensified and brought to the fore, even if people normally try to suppress it. "For people with fear of flying, news of a plane crash can certainly be triggering and reinforce an already heightened sense of vulnerability," says Dr Gary Small, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Centre. "Even though flying remains statistically one of the safest forms of travel, people with this phobia often struggle with a perceived lack of control, fear of enclosed spaces, or catastrophic thinking. "They believe that the worst-case scenario will happen to them. "When a crash makes headlines, it can feel like proof that their fear is justified, even if the event is incredibly rare." Aviation experts note that flying continues to be among the safest modes of transportation, and has been steadily improving. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers noted in a report last year that the risk of dying from commercial air travel was one per every 13.7 million passenger boardings globally in the 2018 to 2022 period. "I encourage people to take breaks from media coverage, focus on what's within their control, and use grounding techniques," Dr Small said. "Therapy - especially cognitive behavioural therapy - can help reframe fearful thoughts, and in some cases, medication can offer additional support during high-anxiety moments." To cope with the fear of flying, Hackensack Meridian Health mental health experts have issued some advice. 1. Cognitive restructuring "Gently challenge irrational beliefs about the dangers of flying by replacing such beliefs with factual information about flying," Dr Small said. "Redirect your negative thoughts to focus on positive things, such as what you are looking forward to when you reach your destination. Also, avoid immersing yourself in news about crashes." 2. Relaxation techniques "Deep breathing is a highly efficient tool to manage fear and anxiety," the professional went on. "Deep breathing slows down our body's stress response system and evokes a sense of peace and calm. Practice deep breathing along with saying a soothing word, such as 'calm' or 'peace' to yourself during the flight." 3. Cope ahead "Mentally visualise yourself on the airplane ahead of time," the expert went on. "Picture yourself feeling comfortable and relaxed. The more detailed the image, the better. Picture what you will be doing as you feel relaxed, perhaps reading a book or drifting off to sleep. Imagine the feelings of the airplane landing and you exiting the plane." 4. Distraction "When our mind is stuck in the worry loop, it is best to break the cycle by focusing on anything other than the anxiety-provoking thought," he went on. "This can include simple mental exercises such as counting backwards in your head, crossword puzzles, or counting items around you." 5. Support Rely on a trusted travel companion to come with you on the flight. "Be honest about your fears and share what you think may be helpful for you if you start to feel afraid," he advised. 6. Gradual exposure "Begin with shorter, manageable flights or engage in a simulated airplane flight experience, which will gradually expose yourself to the experience of flying, desensitising your fear response over time," the doc noted. 7. Seek professional help Seek help from a therapist trained in evidence-based treatments to overcome anxiety and flying-related fears. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.


Edinburgh Live
a day ago
- Edinburgh Live
West Lothian nurse told colleague she had 'sexy long legs' and sent unseemly texts
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A West Lothian nurse has been struck off after telling a colleague they had 'sexy long legs' and sending inappropriate text messages. Alan Colquhoun was told his fitness to practice was impaired by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. A hearing heard of him asking a colleague to 'have some fun' and urging them to be alone with him at Christmas Party in 2016. Colquhoun, who worked as a lead nurse trainer at UK Health Enterprises between 2015 and 2020, was also proven to have touched a colleague on their thighs and buttocks. In 2018, he was found to have 'repeatedly' sent inappropriate or sexual messages. Following another Christmas party in 2020, he was proven to have told a colleague that he had 'missed them' after they weren't present at the event. He also told them that he 'wanted a cuddle'. In a string of proven incidents, Colquhoun asked one colleague to send an image of themselves with a teddy bear. He also said to one colleague that he 'didn't know why they were single'. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox An application was made to have Colquhoun's hearing be private, though the council decided that it was 'in the public interest' to reject that. The council decided that his behaviour constituted harassment, and his motivations were sexual. During the hearing, one colleague's statement was read which stated: "I attended the office Christmas party. "I do not recall the date of the party but it was in December 2016. I had joined in around October 2016 and had only met the Nurse a few times prior to the Christmas party. "At the party, the Nurse propositioned me; he asked me to come with him to the kitchen so that we could be alone to have some fun. I refused as the Nurse was drunk and I was aware that he was married." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. The hearing also heard that Alan had a 'great working relationship with patients and their significant others'. He was branded a 'quiet gentleman who is thoughtful and empathetic'. However, the panel decided that an order that didn't restrict his practice would be 'inappropriate' under the circumstances'. His actions were considered 'fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register'. They concluded: "The panel considered that this order was necessary to mark the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and to send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse."