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Air India flight returns to Hong Kong due to a midair technical issue

Air India flight returns to Hong Kong due to a midair technical issue

Edmonton Journal16 hours ago

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An Air India flight returned to Hong Kong on Monday shortly after takeoff due to a midair technical issue, days after another of the airline's flights crashed and killed at least 270 people.
Air India said in a statement that the New Delhi-bound plane landed in Hong Kong safely and was undergoing checks 'as a matter of abundant precaution.' Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a separate statement that flight AI315 returned to the southern Chinese city's airport around 1 p.m.
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The world's most trafficked mammal is the pangolin. US officials say it's an endangered species
The world's most trafficked mammal is the pangolin. US officials say it's an endangered species

Winnipeg Free Press

time7 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

The world's most trafficked mammal is the pangolin. US officials say it's an endangered species

U.S. officials proposed Monday to protect the pangolin, a small, nocturnal mammal covered in scales, under the Endangered Species Act. The pangolin is 'the most trafficked mammal in the world' in large part for its scales, used in traditional Chinese medicine, and meat, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking to add protections for four species of the pangolin native to Asia — including the Chinese, Indian, Sunda and Philippine pangolin — and three species native to Africa, including the white-bellied, black-bellied and giant pangolin. Seven species are in danger of extinction, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. An eighth species from Africa, the Temminck's ground pangolin, is already protected by the law. Scientists also say two more species of the mammal may exist. The protections were signed into law in 1973 with bipartisan support and are key for preserving global biodiversity and keeping iconic types of plants and animals, such as the bald eagle, from dying out. The Endangered Species Act protects over 2,000 U.S. and foreign species. Conservation and environmental groups say habitat loss from climate change is just one reason the act is especially critical today. The endangerment listing, once finalized, would help strengthen trade and import restrictions of pangolin parts in the U.S., except in the case of scientific or other conservation purposes, according to the Center. It is illegal to trade them; the pangolin received certain commercial trade protections under the 2017 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. But tons of poached scales representing thousands of pangolin have been found by authorities around the world in recent years. 'I'm delighted the United States is doing its part to save these adorably odd creatures,' Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. 'Pangolins are on the razor's edge of extinction, and we need to completely shut down any U.S. market for their scales. There's no good reason for anybody to ingest any part of a pangolin.' The pangolin eats insects and rolls into a ball when threatened by predators. The Fish and Wildlife Service said pangolin populations have declined due to targeting by poachers and criminal activity, noting 'proceeds from the illicit sale of pangolins and other imperiled species often fund serious crimes, including drug and arms trafficking.' While the act requires endangered species listing regardless of their origin, the designation could also assist in prosecuting smugglers violating the protections. Advocates, including from the International Fund for Animal Welfare and other national and international groups, have for years petitioned to list the pangolin. In 2020, these organizations and the Fish and Wildlife Service signed an agreement to enforce listing deadlines. Polar bears, as well as penguins — similarly not found in the U.S. — have also been in discussions for listing over the years. Monday's move comes despite President Donald Trump's efforts to weaken the act, aligning with ongoing conservative criticism that it stifles economic growth. Trump's executive order declaring an 'energy emergency' in the U.S. says the act can't stand in the way of energy development, signaling that protections could be rolled back. The Trump administration already plans to cut habitat protections for endangered and threatened species, in an effort to redefine the long-standing meaning of what constitutes 'harm.' ___ Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at

2 different plane crash survivors say they sat in seat 11A — does where you sit actually matter?
2 different plane crash survivors say they sat in seat 11A — does where you sit actually matter?

CBC

time7 hours ago

  • CBC

2 different plane crash survivors say they sat in seat 11A — does where you sit actually matter?

Two different doomed flights, two different survivors with one thing in common: seat 11A. Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash that killed 241 people on board and several more on the ground after the plane crashed minutes after takeoff last Thursday, has made headlines around the world. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner struck a medical college hostel in a ball of flames when it crashed into a residential area of the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad. Most bodies of those aboard the plane were burned beyond recognition. But police say Ramesh was seated near the emergency exit of the plane and managed to jump through it after the crash. U.K. media have dubbed it the " miracle of seat 11A," after Ramesh's boarding pass confirmed that's where he was sitting on the flight bound for London's Gatwick Airport. Sole survivor of Air India crash has an incredible story — but he's not unique But Thai singer and actor James Ruangsak Loychusak, who was one of the survivors of a deadly 1998 Thai Airways plane crash, is calling it an "uncanny coincidence." "Survivor of a plane crash in India. He sat in the same seat as me. 11A," Loychusak wrote on Facebook Friday. According to the Aviation Safety Network, the Airbus A310 Loychusak was aboard in 1998 crashed during its approach to Surat Thani Airport, killing 101 people. The plane crashed in heavy rain, after its third landing attempt at the airport 500 kilometres southwest of Bangkok. But 45 people survived, including Loychusak. In a further explanation, written in Thai, Loychusak wrote that he doesn't have his ticket or boarding pass from the flight, but he said he knows his seat number based on online seating charts for his aircraft, which he shared in his post. In a further explanation, Loychusak wrote in Thai that he doesn't have his ticket or boarding pass from the flight. As such, CBC News is unable to verify his exact seat. But he claimed to know his seat number based on online seating charts for his aircraft, which he shared online. "That was an uncanny coincidence," he told India's The Telegraph Online Monday. "The kind that gives you goosebumps." Just a coincidence? After Loychusak shared his post, the story began to go viral, and some people commenting online have wondered if there's something about seat 11A that makes it safer than others. Not according to aviation and disaster medicine experts, who tend to agree that all crashes are unique, and there are a number of random factors that could improve your chances of survival, so it's more about all those variables aligning. "Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict survivability based on seat location," Mitchell Fox, a director at Flight Safety Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit, previously told Reuters. Plus, seat 11A is located in different spots on different planes, depending on the configuration of the aircraft. In Ramesh's case, seat 11A on the 787-8 Dreamliner was the first row in economy class, directly behind the emergency exit. But in an Airbus A310, according to photos on the Seat Guru website and a graphic of a seating chart shared on Facebook by Loychusak, 11A is a few rows ahead of the emergency exit. In general, sitting near an emergency exit can improve chances of evacuation, especially in survivable crashes involving fire or smoke, said Stephen Wood, an associate clinical professor at Northeastern University in Boston and an expert in disaster medicine and EMS. However, in a high-energy impact crash, like the one in India, survivability based on seat location becomes far more complex, he told CBC News. Exit row seats are often near reinforced parts of the airframe, Wood explained. They are also adjacent to structural components like the wing span which can be sites of significant destruction. "In this case, the fact that the survivor was seated there may have been fortuitous, but it's not a guarantee of safety in most crashes," Wood said, speaking specifically about Ramesh's experience. "So yes, his seat may have helped, but survival likely depended on much more than that alone." WATCH | Survivor of Air India crash walks away: British national was sole survivor of Air India crash 3 days ago Duration 4:43 Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian descent, was the only passenger who survived the crash of an Air India plane bound for London that killed at least 240 people on Thursday in Ahmedabad. Social media video appeared to show him walking away from the crash; CBC News has not independently verified the video. Every crash is different In short, it doesn't really matter where you sit since every accident is different, experts say. "It all depends on the crash dynamics," Daniel Kwasi Adjekum, an aviation safety researcher at the University of North Dakota, told Live Science earlier this month. A 2007 Popular Mechanics study of crashes since 1971 found that passengers toward the back of the plane had better survival odds. Some experts suggest the wing section offers more stability (while also acknowledging the danger of being over the fuel tanks). A study conducted by Time magazine in 2015 concluded the middle seats in the rear of the aircraft had the highest survival probability. Sitting next to an exit door, as Ramesh did, gives people an opportunity to be one of the first passengers to get out in the event that a plane goes down, although some exits don't function after a crash. For instance, Ramesh has said the opposite side of the plane was crushed against a wall of the building it crashed into. This could have prevented anyone who may have survived the impact on the right side of the plane from escaping through that emergency exit. "From a technical perspective, survival in these kinds of events is usually due to a confluence of rare but explainable factors including the aircraft's breakup pattern, impact dynamics, the survivor's position and condition and sometimes just seconds of timing," Wood told CBC News. 'Beyond seat numbers' On Facebook Sunday, Loychusak noted that his story is "now going viral across many countries." "But what I truly want to share goes beyond seat numbers," he said. "I want to tell the world what this experience gave me — not just survival, but a completely new perspective on life." The Thai Airways flight that crashed on Dec. 11, 1998, was carrying 132 passengers and 14 crew. Hundreds of rescue workers waded through a muddy swamp to pull charred bodies from the wreckage. Loychusak survived, but endured severe injuries, including fractured ribs, spinal trauma, and brain hemorrhaging. He spent over a year in recovery, he told India's The Telegraph. Though he was a recognizable pop star, he said he had to get used to a different type of spotlight from his hospital bed. That included families of victims asking "Why you?" Loychusak told the news site. "I didn't have an answer then. I still don't."

Air India flight returns to Hong Kong due to a midair technical issue
Air India flight returns to Hong Kong due to a midair technical issue

Vancouver Sun

time16 hours ago

  • Vancouver Sun

Air India flight returns to Hong Kong due to a midair technical issue

An Air India flight returned to Hong Kong on Monday shortly after takeoff due to a midair technical issue, days after another of the airline's flights crashed and killed at least 270 people. Air India said in a statement that the New Delhi-bound plane landed in Hong Kong safely and was undergoing checks 'as a matter of abundant precaution.' Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a separate statement that flight AI315 returned to the southern Chinese city's airport around 1 p.m. The plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the same model as the London-bound flight that struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff on Thursday. The crash killed 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground. One passenger survived. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The flag carrier of India said alternative arrangements have been made to fly the affected passengers to their destination at the earliest convenience. — Roy reported from New Delhi. Associated Press video journalist Alice Fung in Hong Kong contributed to the report. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .

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