Latest news with #Midair
News18
23-05-2025
- General
- News18
Chaos In The Sky: IndiGo Flight Plunges 8,500 Feet In A Minute As Pakistan Denies Airspace
Last Updated: Over 200 lives were put at risk due to Pakistan's denial of IndiGo's request to enter its airspace during a dangerous hailstorm on May 21, officials said. The Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight 6E-2142, which survived a threatening hailstorm midair on May 21, had first asked the northern air traffic control (managed by the Indian Air Force) for permission to turn towards Pakistan to escape bad weather. However, after permission was denied, the pilot then contacted Lahore, but the neighbouring country turned it down, putting the lives of all onboard at risk, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). When the pilot was left with no other option, he had to continue flying and successfully landed the aircraft in Srinagar. However, the flight, which carried over 220 people, including TMC MPs, suffered heavy damage on its nose due to the storm. While flying through the thunderstorm, the plane faced strong turbulence and was hit by powerful upward and downward air currents, known as 'updrafts and downdrafts." This caused the autopilot to switch off and led to sudden changes in the aircraft's speed. As the pilot carried on the onward journey, the aircraft's rate of descent reached 8,500 ft/min(feet per minute) and had to be flown manually till it exited the storm. The dangerous turn of events led to panic among passengers in the aircraft as they screamed and prayed for safety. Several videos showing the traumatic experiences of passengers surfaced on social media. Pakistan has shut its airspace for Indian flights. India closed its airspace for Pakistani carriers after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. What Happened Midair On May 21? According to the DGCA statement, the flight was at an altitude of nearly 36,000 feet near Punjab's Pathankot when it was struck by a hailstorm followed by severe turbulence. As trouble rose, the pilot first sought permission from the northern air traffic control to turn towards the international border – where tensions were at their peak during Operation Sindoor between May 7 and 10 – to avoid the storm. However, the request was denied. 'As per crew statement, they requested Northern control (IAF) for deviation towards left (International Border) due to weather on the route, however, it was not approved," the statement said. More to follow… First Published: May 23, 2025, 16:49 IST
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Delta jet crashes at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport; crews responding to plane flipped upside down
A Delta Air Lines plane crashed at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday afternoon, injuring numerous passengers flying from the U.S. The plane crash, which involved a Delta Air Lines CRJ-900 jet that had departed from Minneapolis, was first reported by CTV. The flight was identified as Delta 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, and carried 80 people. The incident was reported at 2:45 p.m. local time. Pictures of the scene show the plane upside down and mangled on a snow-covered runway. 15 people were treated for injuries – three of them transported to hospital – following the crash. Plane Crashes Spark Renewed Fear Of Flying: 10 Causes Of Aviation Disasters Two patients were taken by air ambulance to two different trauma centers – Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and St. Michael's Hospital – in Toronto, according to a spokesperson for the paramedic service that was on scene. Read On The Fox News App A child, about four years old, was transported to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. "Those three were critical, non-life-threatening injuries," Peel Regional Paramedic Services Superintendent Lawrence Saindon told Fox News Digital. "The remaining ones are all walking wounded, with cuts and scrapes, nothing serious at all." Toronto Pearson Airport operations paused shortly following the crash, but departures and arrivals resumed by around 5 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement on Monday stating that the crash took place while the aircraft was landing. All passengers and crew were immediately evacuated. Harrowing Video From Military Base Shows New Angle Of Midair Crash Catastrophe "The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates," the FAA noted. Toronto Pearson confirmed the crash on X, and said that all the plane's passengers and crew "are accounted for." "Toronto Pearson is aware of an incident upon landing involving a Delta Air Lines plane arriving from Minneapolis," the airport's post read. "Emergency teams are responding." Air traffic control sounds from the incident indicate that winds at the airport were roughly 20-30 mph, with gusts near 40 mph. A helicopter pilot who witnessed the crash said that the plane was "upside down and burning," according to the audio. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that he was aware of the incident. "FAA investigators are en route to Toronto," Duffy wrote. "I've been in touch with my counterpart in Canada to offer assistance and help with the investigation." Monday's crash comes amid a turbulent season for air travel. In late January, 67 people died near Washington, D.C. when a military Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines-affiliated commercial flight from Kansas. Recent plane crashes have not been limited to North America either. A crash involving a Jeju Air flight in South Korea killed 179 people when the aircraft crashed into an airport's concrete barrier and burst into flames. An Azerbaijan Airlines plane also crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas, killing 38 people and injuring 29. Fox News Digital reached out to Delta for additional information. Reuters and Fox News Digital's Brooke Curto and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this article source: Delta jet crashes at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport; crews responding to plane flipped upside down
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Miracle on the Hudson's Capt. Sully reacts to deadly DC aircraft collision
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, who famously landed a passenger plane on the Hudson River in 2009, commented on the deadly aircraft collision that occurred over the Potomac River on Wednesday night. "We've had to learn important lessons literally with blood too often, and we had finally gotten beyond that, to where we could learn from incidents, and not accidents," Captain Sullenberger told The New York Times. Sullenberger explained to the outlet that "everything is harder" when flying at night. He noted that while the pilots' ability to see may have been impacted by the darkness, "we don't know" whether that was the case. "I'm just devastated by this," Sullenberger said. "We have the obligation to learn from every failure and improve." American Airlines Ceo Expresses 'Deep Sorrow' After Midair Collision At approximately 9:00 PM local time on Wednesday night, an Army Black Hawk collided with an American Airlines plane near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, D.C. All 67 people onboard both aircraft are presumed dead. Read On The Fox News App John Donnelly, Chief of the District of Columbia Fire Department, said on Thursday morning that authorities did not believe there were any survivors, and the mission was shifting "from a rescue operation to a recovery operation." Hegseth Shares Details On Black Hawk Chopper Training Flight President Donald Trump called the deadly crash a "dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history, and a tragedy of terrible proportions." "Together, we take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac, but in the warm embrace of a loving God," Trump said. In a video statement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the department knows "on our side who was involved. It was a fairly experienced crew, and that was doing a required annual night evaluation. They did have night vision goggles." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn-in hours before the collision, said "everything was standard" before the crash. He also vowed to get answers for the victims' families and the American people. In January 2009, Sullenberger landed an Airbus A320 safely in the Hudson River after striking a flock of birds that disabled both engines shortly after takeoff; all 155 people aboard survived. His heroic actions, later dubbed the "miracle on the Hudson," were depicted in the 2016 film "Sully" starring Tom Hanks. The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Miracle on the Hudson's Capt. Sully reacts to deadly DC aircraft collision
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump attacks DEI policies after DC plane crash, says FAA employees must be held to 'highest standards'
President Donald Trump set his sights on DEI standards at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday after a deadly in-air collision at the nation's capital. Trump, speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, highlighted efforts by the Biden administration to lower aviation standards, though he acknowledged that the cause of Wednesday night's crash has yet to be determined. "We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system," Trump said. "Only the highest aptitude — you have to be the highest intellect — and psychologically superior people, were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers." "We have to have our smartest people. It doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. What matters is intellect, talent. The word 'talent.' They have to be talented geniuses," he continued. "We can't have regular people doing that job. They won't be able to do it." Trump later attributed the crash to a "confluence of bad decisions that were made." Video Shows Dc Plane Crash Involving American Airlines Flight, Black Hawk Helicopter Read On The Fox News App Trump noted that he had raised the qualification standards for air traffic controllers during his first administration, but he said former President Joe Biden had lowered them once he left office. American Airlines Ceo Expresses 'Deep Sorrow' After Midair Collision The president reinstated the higher standards last week with an executive order, he said. "We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we'll probably state those opinions now, because over the years I've watched as things like this happen and they say, well, we're always investigating. And then the investigation, three years later, they announce it," Trump said, going on to detail an investigation including the FAA, the Department of Defense and the National Transportation Safety Board. Trump went on to highlight a series of articles covering the FAA's "diversity push" that he said occurred prior to him taking office. "The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency's website," he said. While that language was present on the FAA's website during the Biden administration, it was also present during Trump's first administration. American Figure Skating Members, Russian Olympians Aboard Plane In Reagan National Airport Crash When asked for comment on the initiative last year, including what roles people with disabilities would fulfill, the FAA told Fox News Digital that the agency thoroughly seeks and vets qualified candidates "from as many sources as possible" for a range of positions. Later in the press conference, Trump criticized former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as a "disaster." "He's just got a good line of bulls--t," the president said of the Democrat. Reporters then pressed Trump on the facts of the crash, asking whether he had evidence that it was caused by incompetence due to DEI. Trump said the investigation is ongoing, but that "it could have been." Buttigieg was quick to strike back on X, calling Trump's comments "despicable." "As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying," Buttigieg continued. "We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch." Wednesday night's crash involved an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. It collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter carrying three service members. Trump confirmed that there were no survivors. Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this article source: Trump attacks DEI policies after DC plane crash, says FAA employees must be held to 'highest standards'
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Black Hawk chopper unit was on annual proficiency training flight, Hegseth says
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the American people following the deadly collision involving an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter outside Reagan National Airport. Hegseth says the crash occurred while the Black Hawk was on an annual proficiency training flight. "We do know on our side who was involved. It was a fairly experienced crew, and that was doing a required annual night evaluation," Hegseth said in a video statement obtained exclusively by Fox News. "We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the quarter at the right altitude at the time of the incident." "It's a tragedy, a horrible loss of life for those 64 souls on that civilian airliner. And of course, the three soldiers in that Black Hawk. They're in our prayers, their families and their communities as people are notified," Hegseth added. On Wednesday, around 9:00 PM local time, the FAA issued a ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after a military helicopter with three soldiers collided with a civilian airplane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. In a press conference on Thursday morning, DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly announced nearly 30 bodies had been recovered from the scene of the collision so far. At this time, authorities do not believe there are any survivors, Donnelly added. "We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter," he added. "Despite all these efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation." Read On The Fox News App American Airlines Ceo Expresses 'Deep Sorrow' After Midair Collision DC Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked first responders for working in a "very frigid" river through the night in what started as a search and rescue mission, which is now a recovery mission. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn-in hours before the collision, vowed to get answers on behalf of the collision victims' families and the American people. Duffy noted that the collision occurred on a clear night and that both the airplane and helicopter were in "standard" patterns. "Safety is our expectation. Everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely, that when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn't happen last night," Duffy said. Duffy believes that the evidence so far indicates that the collision could have "absolutely" been prevented. American Figure Skater Says He Was Barred From Flight That Collided With Army Helicopter In a blunt Truth Social post, President Donald Trump called the crash "a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented." Shortly after the collision, Vice President JD Vance urged people to "say a prayer for everyone involved."Original article source: Black Hawk chopper unit was on annual proficiency training flight, Hegseth says
