Plane crashes at London Southend Airport LIVE: Airport in Essex closed, all flights cancelled
In a post on X, London's Southend Airport said, 'All flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while police, emergency services and air accident investigators are attending the incident.'
"We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport," the local Essex police said.
Casualties are yet to be ascertained.
According to the Associated Press, the Essex Police said it was alerted just before 4 pm to the 'serious incident" at the airport. They cited reports of a collision involving a 12-metre (39.4-foot) plane.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it had sent four ambulances and other response vehicles. The airport's website showed five international flights had been cancelled following the accident
The plane was operated by Zeusch Aviation in the Netherlands. It had flown from Athens, Greece, to Pula, Croatia, on Sunday before heading to Southend. It was due to return to Lelystad, Netherlands, on Sunday evening.
Zeusch Aviation confirmed its SUZ1 flight had been involved in an accident and said the company was supporting the investigation. 'Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected," its statement said.
Meanwhile, British media claimed the crash involved a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air equipped with medical systems for transporting patients. It's a turboprop aircraft 12 meters (39 feet) long.
Southend-on-Sea is about 65 kilometres (40 miles) east of the capital and is the sixth largest airport in the London area.
Images circulated on social media showing a plume of fire and black smoke emanating from the crash site. Meanwhile, video footage showed a 12-metre plane in flames at Southend-on-Sea, an airport east of London.
Witness John Johnson, who was at the airport with his family, said he saw a 'big fireball' after the plane 'crashed head first into the ground.'
'It took off and about three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed just head-first into the ground," he said.
Johnson said that before the plane got into position for takeoff, he and his family waved at the pilots and 'they all waved back at us.'
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Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Indian Express
Pune team documents Kashmir's endangered craft of building houseboats
From a ban on the construction of new houseboats since 1988 and a dip in the number of craftspersons to increasing difficulty in sourcing deodhar, which is required to make these vessels — this quintessential symbol of a tranquil Kashmir Valley is drifting into history as a lost item of Indian heritage. Before the ageing craftspersons and their indigenous knowledge disappear, a team of researchers from Pune carried out a year-long documentation project that treats the Valley's boat-building traditions as a heritage craft practice. Nearly a year after the team started documenting this craft, master craftspersons and their teams were recently felicitated at the School of Designs in Srinagar in the presence of the director of Jammu & Kashmir's Department of Handicrafts. Funded by the British Museum's Endangered Material Knowledge Programme, this documentation project sheds light on how the network of lakes and rivers that make up the Valley gave rise to the construction of floating dwellings. The study is led by Sayali Athale and Anto Gloren. The other members of the team are Reyan U Rafiq, an interpreter from Srinagar, and researchers Ashutosh Chowhan and Anubhav Sutar from Pune. Gloren and Athale, both architects and woodworkers, have been focusing on timber in building for a while and visited the Valley a few times. 'Kashmir has an amazing range of craftsmanship, including boat building. The shikara even has a GI tag (a Geographical Indication tag, which is a form of intellectual property protection), but the craft of constructing houseboats has never been documented. Since this practice is now endangered, we felt it necessary to help document it,' says Gloren. For centuries, the tradition of making boats shaped the region's culture and character. In the 19th century, these floating houses, called doongas, started being used for tourism — resulting in the well-oiled myth that the British invented houseboats. 'The houseboat has evolved from several variants, and the doonga was the last of its indigenous lineage. The existence of doongas has been recorded since the early 18th century. Yet, in popular narrative, the credit for the invention of the houseboat is given to its late 19th century British patrons. This misrepresentation of the houseboat as being an English invention and not an evolution of the local doonga has meant that it is seen as colonial heritage rather than a local tradition,' says Athale. 'The houseboat is perceived as an import serving tourists, and the history of the communities of local people dwelling in boats before the arrival of the British is often forgotten. Through our research, in tracing its predecessors, we hope to also influence this narrative and help redirect it for the future generations,' she adds. Due to increasing pollution of lakes, the construction of new houseboats was prohibited in 1988. Before its ban, there were thousands of houseboats on Dal and Nigeen lakes, and the Jhelum. Fewer than 750 houseboats remain today. While Srinagar's lakes are increasingly threatened by climate change and siltation, the future of houseboats is closely tied to the life of the lake itself. 'Due to the limitations, the number of craftsmen with the specific skill of houseboat hull construction has reduced over the last 35 years. With the loss of another craftsman in January this year, only four senior craftsmen remain on record who possess this knowledge. While their sons have assisted them in constructing houseboats, their primary professions are not houseboat building. With the passage of these senior craftsmen then, it remains to be seen if the knowledge tradition will be continued,' says Gloren. Houseboats are made from deodhar, which has become increasingly difficult to source due to the depleting forest cover. Forest policies also do not permit harvesting of local timber. Trees that are felled from disease or natural disasters or ones that fall naturally are auctioned by the forest department. 'Given their low quantities, this wood is expensive and often unaffordable for houseboat owners. Additionally, the most important structure of the houseboat, the pasch, which are on both sides of the hull, are to be made from a single piece of wood 50-60 feet long. Such long pieces of wood are increasingly difficult to find. Thus, the practice of construction in deodhar itself is constrained,' says Athale. In the meantime, houseboats have turned into a vehicle for tourism. Only locals remember that the houseboat's ancestors, including the doonga, were, historically, a part of everyday life, and important for the Valley's trade and commerce. To document the tradition of boat building in the Valley, the team, first, got in touch with the community of boat builders — only to come across a modern impediment. 'At a time when craftsmen were interviewed, often by social media users, they were sceptical about the study's earnestness, although they did entertain us with enthusiasm,' says Gloren. After a year of working with the same people, the team managed to build trust, which led the artisans to share important details of boat building. 'Master craftsmen Ghulam Ahmed Najar, his brother Mohammed Subhan Najar, both in their 60s, and their young apprentice, Adil Basheer Penchoo, have assumed the role of teachers. They allowed us to film them working, and explained details. We met wasta (a master craftsman in Kashmiri) Abdul Khaliq during the first week of our study, but lost contact with him. We visited his workshop a few months later to interview him. We also bumped into another craftsman, Mohammad Yusuf Kahwa, rather serendipitously while at a market in Srinagar,' says Athale. Their documentation shows how the houseboat, the doonga and its cargo version, the bahast, were all constructed using deodhar. A reduced version, the sand boat, is now constructed using imported silver oak. 'While the life of a deodhar boat is around 60 years, a silver oak boat will last only a few seasons,' says Gloren. The team was able to secure rare material in film, drawing and oral recordings because they saw a boat being built. 'This happened because seven houseboats were gutted in a fire in 2022 and special permission was granted by the Central government to rebuild them. Their reconstruction was probably the last opportunity to document this process. We have captured it in video, drawings and oral narration… so that it can be revived by the future generations of Kashmir in case it is lost now,' says Athale. Released in 2023, a new policy on houseboats permits minor repair of existing houseboats. 'Through the ups and downs in the local events and resultant fortunes of the people, their love for handwork remains inspiring to study. They find hope and courage through their hand work and we are thankful that we had the opportunity to support this in some way,' says Gloren.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
A British etiquette coach shares 5 fine dining tips you probably didn't know
When it comes to dining etiquette, most of us know the basics: chew with your mouth closed, don't talk with food in your mouth, and place your napkin on your lap. But true elegance at the table is in the details; the subtle, considerate habits that demonstrate respect and grace. As William Hanson, British etiquette coach and Executive Director of The English Manner, explains in a YouTube video: 'This is advice that is applicable in any situation — from the grandest of gala dinners to the most simple kitchen supper with the family… manners in any setting [are] about other people, not you.' With that wisdom in mind, here are five dining etiquette tips you probably didn't know about, peppered with Hanson's timeless advice. We're all hungry, but patience is polite. As William says, 'Good manners are selfless, not selfish… so we wait for everyone at the table to have a plate of food in front of them before we start eating.' This includes refraining from nibbling on bread or sipping soup if others haven't received their plates yet. If you see something tempting on the table, water, wine, salad, don't just dive in. 'If you want to help yourself to anything… make sure the people either side of you have it first before you help yourself.' Being aware of others' needs before your own shows refined hospitality. Need to pause mid-meal to answer a question or take a sip? Don't lay your used utensils on the table. 'We never place dirty cutlery back on the table… Instead, we place the cutlery in what we call the resting position.' Visualise a clock: place your knife at 3 o'clock and your fork crossing over it toward 8 o'clock (a 3:40 position). It subtly signals that you're not done yet. Phones have no place at the table, no matter how casual the meal. 'The dining table is always a phone-free zone… I don't care what you call it, I don't care what time of day — mobiles away.' Being fully present is a hallmark of great manners. When you've finished eating, show it. Silently. 'Just like the resting position, there's a way to place your knife and fork… they go together on the plate like so.' In Britain, cutlery is typically placed vertically at the 6:00 position. In some parts of the world, a slight angle is customary. Either way, it should clearly indicate you're finished. Whether you're enjoying a fancy restaurant meal or a simple family dinner, these small but powerful etiquette habits elevate the experience for everyone.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Explore Chennai's Victoria Public Hall, which once hosted ballroom dances and film screenings
Back in 2022, when Victoria Public Hall, an imposing town hall structure standing alongside some of the city's other great monuments like the Ripon buildings and the Central station, was still in disuse, a group of engineers from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) gathered to undertake a study of the premises. Conservation architects and restoration experts who were roped in, said that entering meant danger. Once the ideal location for ballroom dancing in the late 19th and early 20th Century, a heavy step on the floorboard meant that your legs would go through the base of the structure, as the wood was ready to give way from years of having been locked away. Three years hence, the smell of paint and fresh varnish wafts through the air of this iconic red-brick building which is now nearly ready to welcome visitors. Considered to be built somewhere between 1883 and 1890 in Indo-Saracenic style (although historian V Sriram in a recent The Hindu article argues that it is far more Roman in nature with its Travencore caps) by Robert Chisholm, the British architect who conjured up Chennai's most beautiful Colonial-era buildings, the project, under the Singara Chennai 2.0 initiative, cost ₹32.62 crore to restore. A S Murugan, Superintending Engineer, Special Projects Department, Greater Chennai Corporation, wants Chennai-residents to use the town hall as it was initially intended — a public space for residents and travellers. 'You have a train to catch and need a place to wait? Spend some time at Victoria Public Hall where a museum on the history of the hall's conservation is going to be built,' he says. A time of generosity Victoria Public hall was originally conceived to honour Queen Victoria on her Golden Jubilee in 1887. An article in Madras Musings states that Sir AT Arundel, President of the Corporation at the time, raised funds to build the structure as 'an affirmation of loyalty to the Crown'. The opening however, would not have been possible if Rajah Sir Ananda Gajapati, the Maharajah of Vijayanagaram, did not set aside three and a half acres from People's Park to a Board of Trustees on a 99-year lease at eight annas (half a rupee) a ground per year. He is remembered in a tablet, embellished with all his titles, preserved at the entrance, for having laid the foundation stone. Chisholm designed the hall with Gothic arcades and tiled sloping roofs and verandahs. A tall four-sided tower that rises to a height of 150 feet continues to exist till date with a claustrophobic winding path, just perfect to take one to the top to the top. Another article from The Hindu's archives states that Chilsom made small rounded balconies, some of them with canopies to make baldacchinos, all along the length of the tower. A memorial to a former Governor of Madras, Sir Charles Trevelyan, stands in the form of a fountain at the front yard of the Hall. It is said that Trevelyan not just improved Madras' water supply and drainage supply systems but also opened the governor's house to tea parties and tiffins, a concept unheard of at the time. The Victoria Public Hall's purpose was to further the city's cultural and intellectual pursuits. It is why the place hosted several talks, screened films, held ballroom dances, saw performances of plays and discourse on challenging political, spiritual and nationalistic concepts. Chennai owes its cinematic roots to Victoria Public Hall. An article in The Hindu states that the premiere of the first ever film screening in the city was by T Stevenson in December 1896, the proprietor of the Madras Photographic Store. At Victoria Public Hall, he screened ten short films and many magic lantern slides, depicting views of Madras such as the Guindy horse races and a Mowbray's Road street scene. However, the first few shows were quite the bust. The Madras Mail from December 8, 1896 says that only 'a few adventurous ones went forth to see his show' as rain played quite the spoil sport. The reviews for the show were also, frankly, scathing as the Mail stated that the photographs were 'not distinct enough and in some cases seemed too rapidly worked.' Besides the tryst with cinema, several plays, particularly those political by nature, were hosted by the Suguna Vilasa Sabha. It is also stated that the Justice Party had its first meeting at the Victoria Public Hall in 1916. The hall has also played host to several eminent speakers. An article from The Hindu's 1897 edition speaks of Swami Vivekananda's visit. Mahatma Gandhi has also addressed a gathering here. Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha also functioned out of the premises in 1914 with the aim to promote Telugu culture and literature for 30 odd years. Several sports: table tennis, billiards, and chess found patronage here at the ground floor of the venue. Despite having played such a central role in Chennai's pursuit, the hall was often found in dire straits. Although exhibitions were held at the hall intermittently since the 1980s, no consistent use was planned for the location. Heralding change With the latest restoration in place, Victoria Public Hall is expected to return to its glory days. Galleries have been installed on the premises for travelling exhibits and a permanent one on the reconstruction of the heritage building. The GCC plans to open the space for talks and occasional performances. There is also a plan to replicate the heritage walk model currently in place at the Ripon Buildings. Abha Narain Lambah, the country's preferred conservation architect, who was roped in for the restoration project says that work primarily went into structural strengthening. 'A lot of archival research, assessment of documents and mapping the structure was undertaken one and a half years ago. We looked at fabric and structural assessment of buildings in the 19th and 20th Century for reference but also needed to conserve it in such a way that it could be in active use. The aim was to ensure that it does not fall back into dilapidation. We also looked into the acoustics of the hall because it was primarily a performance venue,' she says. Raj Cherubal, Executive Director, Chennai Smart City and Christy Lemma, Communication Cell In-Charge, GCC, say that much of the original pillars of the building were maintained. Earthquake proofing was done and an attempt to conceal the use of modern embellishments like air conditioners and lighting were done in a manner so as to not appear garish. 'For the inauguration, we plan on hosting an exhibition on Chennai, its roots, the recent discoveries of the Tamil civilization and many more. There will also be a fete with cultural performances and a food festival,' says Christy. Of contributions Victoria Public Hall is about 90% ready to invite visitors as of today but a date is yet to be set on the inauguration. As workers put the final touches on the historic staircase of the building and the front yard, I ask a labourer what he thinks of working on the building and his thoughts on the recent sanitary workers' protest that was held close to the entrance of the hall. The labourer insists on a state of impermanence. He says that nobody will acknowledge his effort of having painted the building, the effort of daily wage labourers, or even the function of the government. 'Nothing is permanent but this building. That is where the beauty lies.'
