Latest news with #near-miss
The Sun
10-05-2025
- The Sun
Watch shock moment couple cheat death as they fall off 5,000ft mountain while taking risky shortcut to avoid queue
THIS is the heart-stopping moment a couple cheats death when they come inches from tumbling down a huge mountain face. The pair almost paid the ultimate price for seeking a shortcut to skip a long queue at Mount Tai in Shandong, China. 5 5 Shocking footage that went viral in China shows the woman clambering down a wall at the top of a cliff face, helped by her partner. He stands at the bottom to help the woman lower herself onto the level below. But the descent goes wrong and the woman falls back - landing awkwardly on the man's shoulder. The collision sends the two of them staggering backwards over the perilous cliff edge. The entangled couple tumbles down the rocks - and it looks to be all over. But fortunately, the man catches hold of a safety wire and is able to stop the fall. He wedges himself in a rock gap and grasps his wife by the leg to catch her from flying down the hill. The pair manage to right themselves and, miraculously, escape serious injury. The Mountain Tai in east China's Shandong Province is a dizzy 5,000ft above sea level. Millions of tourists flock to the spot each year to take in the staggering natural landscape and historic constructions. Terrifying moment Scotland's top ranked skier plunges down mountain & suffers horror injuries The site is particularly busy during public holidays, when certain spots become incredibly crowded. Many climb the mountain to watch the sunrise - which seems to have been the draw in this video. Other angles of the close calls show hoards of people lining the peak gazing out at the view. On the first day of the holiday this year, over 45,000 tourists visited the mountain. 5 5 Officials have now tightened security at the summit to stop people breaching the barriers. Another mountain adventurer was less fortunate when she tragically fell to her death from a cliff near Malaga, Spain. The Irish victim, 21, was killed after plunging around 500ft off a ravine. Her body was recovered by emergency services after the alarm was raised. A male friend she was with miraculously survived by grabbing onto a bush-covered rock that was jutting out as he fell.
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Near mid-air crash between planes sparks calls for change
File image. Photo: A near mid-air crash at night between two planes has sparked calls for improvements to visibility measures and pilot communication, a new report outlines. The two aircrafts got "dangerously close" to crashing as they made final approaches towards Ardmore Airport, south of Auckland, during a night-time flight in October 2023. The airport, which is about 5 kilometres southeast of Manurewa, is uncontrolled or unattended, meaning it operates without a control tower. In a report released on Thursday, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said a twin-engine Beech Duchess flew over a single-engine Cessna 172, missing it by about 20 feet, or 6 metres. The Cessna pilot initiated a "go-around" before both aircrafts landed safely. "The pilot flying and the instructor on the Beech were unaware of their proximity to the Cessna in the circuit," the report said. The Beech pilot was unaware how close they were to the Cessna because it was hard to see, even though they had the required lighting. Both aircrafts also flew different paths on final approach, increasing the risk of one aircraft not seeing the other, the report said. "Contributing to the different vertical profiles flown was that a local altitude restriction for Ardmore Airport was published in their operations manual and not in the Aeronautical Information Publication New Zealand (AIPNZ) available to all pilots," the report said. There were two missed chances where radio calls could have helped the pilots detect the developing risk, TAIC said. Chief investigator of accidents, Naveen Kozhuppakalam said the findings are relevant to every unattended aerodrome in New Zealand. "There are unattended aerodromes all over the country, where pilots rely on aircraft visibility, shared airspace awareness, and good communication to stay safe. When those break down, so does the last line of defence against mid-air collisions," he said. The commission has made two recommendations to the Civil Aviation Authority following the incident. These include further guidance on how to make aircrafts easier to see at night and taking action to ensure all procedures applied by local aerodrome operators are recorded in the AIPNZ. "The ability to clearly see another aircraft is also a pillar of 'see and avoid' at an unattended aerodrome. This can be difficult at night with aircraft fitted with olderstyle lighting. Aircraft conspicuity at night can be improved by installing modern lighting such as light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting," the report said. TAIC has previously investigated three fatal mid-air collisions at unattended aerodromes since 2008, all involving "breakdowns in radio communication and situational awareness". "This report is essential reading for anyone flying into or managing New Zealand's busiest unattended aerodromes," Kozhuppakalam said. "Night or day, knowing where other aircraft are-and being seen-is non-negotiable."
