The pilot of an airliner that ditched in New Yorks Hudson River has been hailed a hero after all 155 passengers and crew were rescued, reports BBC.
The US Airways Airbus A320 made the crash-landing minutes out of LaGuardia airport, both its engines apparently disabled by a flock of birds. Passengers were rescued from the wings or helped from the icy water by divers.
Captain Chesley Sullenberger was praised by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his masterful landing. The state governor spoke of a miracle on the Hudson.
The BBCs Greg Wood reports from New York that it was a true delivery from disaster, a commercial airliner forced to ditch in the river just next to the skyscrapers of mid-town Manhattan but with no fatalities.
One person suffered two broken legs and paramedics treated 78 patients, most for minor injuries but, through a combination of luck, the skill of the pilot and a rapid emergency response, 155 people have had a very narrow escape, our correspondent says.
Flight 1549 departed LaGuardia en route to Charlotte, North Carolina, at 1503 local time (2003 GMT), after a delay of 18 minutes, US Airways said.
The pilot reported a double bird strike less than a minute after take-off and asked to return to the ground, before ditching in the Hudson, an air controllers union spokesman said.
Ferryboats arrived within minutes of the crash to begin the rescue as passengers emerged in life jackets.
The temperature was almost -7C and the current in the Hudson was running rapidly.
The plane moved rapidly down river, threatening to submerge at one point, until guided to a halt by tug boats against a pier.
It would appear that the pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river, and then making sure that everybody got out, Mr Bloomberg said Thursday evening.
I had a long conversation with the pilot. He walked the plane twice after everybody else was off and tried to verify that there was nobody else onboard. And assures us there were not.
The mayor also commended emergency services, saying: They train for these kinds of emergencies, and you saw it in action.
Sourece: the Financial Express
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Air India Fires 10 Flight Attendants For Being Overweight
State-run carrier Air India fired 10 flight attendants for being "exceptionally overweight," a spokesman said Tuesday.
The staff had been grounded for years and were sacked after a medical board declared them unfit for duty. The airline says they were given ample opportunity to shed weight.
"They haven't been flying for two to three years for being exceptionally overweight," Jitendra Bhargava, the airline's spokesman said.
Bhargava confirmed some of the air hostesses had approached the New Delhi High Court for a legal challenge, which was later thrown out.
"That is their democratic right," he said.
This is not the first time the airline has sacked employees for being overweight, he added.
Sourece: AIRWISE News Date06-01-2009
The staff had been grounded for years and were sacked after a medical board declared them unfit for duty. The airline says they were given ample opportunity to shed weight.
"They haven't been flying for two to three years for being exceptionally overweight," Jitendra Bhargava, the airline's spokesman said.
Bhargava confirmed some of the air hostesses had approached the New Delhi High Court for a legal challenge, which was later thrown out.
"That is their democratic right," he said.
This is not the first time the airline has sacked employees for being overweight, he added.
Sourece: AIRWISE News Date06-01-2009
Biman force-retired 2000 staffs demand reinstatement - Anomalies return to ZIA
Around 2000 employees of Bangladesh Biman who were sent on forced self- retirement have urged the newly elected government to reinstate them to the service.
"The authority compelled us to go to self retirement with an empty hand showing different causes. Besides, they threatened us at several times. We are the victims of the circumstances. If they don't fulfill our demand, we will commit suicide," the jobless employees said at a protest rally demanding reinstatement in front of Balaka Bhaban in the city yesterday.
They alleged, "They were thrown out of employment on the plea of reducing manpower of Biman, but instead of reducing manpower, Biman's manpower has now been increased. What was then justification to send us home?" they alleged.
Chairman of the Board of Director of Biman said that the authority already was informed about the matter. "We do hope we will be able to resolve the problem avoiding any untoward situation," he assured.
Meanwhile, criminal syndicate at Zia International Airport has become very much active after two years. During the regime of emergency government, the criminals, cheats and organised thugs had gone into hiding but soon after taking power by the elected democratic government, they have started returning to ZIA and committing crimes.
"The anomalies at the ZIA are still rampant despite different measures to protect the incoming and outgoing passengers from sufferings and to check trafficking of currency and gold by the Bangladesh Biman employees, customs officials, police, ansars, smugglers, transport workers, porters, sweepers and cheats," talking to this correspondent a section of officials alleged.
Yesterday, Safiul Azam, Comm-unication Engineer of ZIA, was caught red handed while he was stealing away a laptop computer from a passenger. The arrested person later was released due to pressure of his colleagues.
Station Officer Shawkat Ali said that he was not present during incident." On that time Commu-nication Engineer Safiul Azam was not assigned to discharge his duty. I heard the theft incident and informed it to concerned higher authority," he said.
Criminals get protection and patronage from crime syndicates who have an unholy alliance with a group of unscrupulous members of police, customs, Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bang-ladesh, said other sources in ZIA.
Office in Charge of the Airport thana Sirazul Alam said, "Soon after the withdrawal of task force, we have taken various measures against the organised thugs and criminals."
On the other hand, passengers arriving at ZIA from abroad regularly become victims of harassment by a section of unscrupulous airport staff right under the nose of the police and the CAAB.
Moreover, traffic police, who regulate the parking in the newly-constructed car parking area of the airport, allegedly realise extra tolls illegally from each car in addition to normal toll.
Besides, ansar personnel collect from the incoming passengers handsome tips. If tips are not paid, they are harassed in different ways, sources complained to this correspondent.
They alleged these CAAB employees - mostly cleaners, conveyer belt operators and security guards - are known as 'carriers' in the smuggling racket. They have links with high officials for smuggling of contraband items.
"The authority compelled us to go to self retirement with an empty hand showing different causes. Besides, they threatened us at several times. We are the victims of the circumstances. If they don't fulfill our demand, we will commit suicide," the jobless employees said at a protest rally demanding reinstatement in front of Balaka Bhaban in the city yesterday.
They alleged, "They were thrown out of employment on the plea of reducing manpower of Biman, but instead of reducing manpower, Biman's manpower has now been increased. What was then justification to send us home?" they alleged.
Chairman of the Board of Director of Biman said that the authority already was informed about the matter. "We do hope we will be able to resolve the problem avoiding any untoward situation," he assured.
Meanwhile, criminal syndicate at Zia International Airport has become very much active after two years. During the regime of emergency government, the criminals, cheats and organised thugs had gone into hiding but soon after taking power by the elected democratic government, they have started returning to ZIA and committing crimes.
"The anomalies at the ZIA are still rampant despite different measures to protect the incoming and outgoing passengers from sufferings and to check trafficking of currency and gold by the Bangladesh Biman employees, customs officials, police, ansars, smugglers, transport workers, porters, sweepers and cheats," talking to this correspondent a section of officials alleged.
Yesterday, Safiul Azam, Comm-unication Engineer of ZIA, was caught red handed while he was stealing away a laptop computer from a passenger. The arrested person later was released due to pressure of his colleagues.
Station Officer Shawkat Ali said that he was not present during incident." On that time Commu-nication Engineer Safiul Azam was not assigned to discharge his duty. I heard the theft incident and informed it to concerned higher authority," he said.
Criminals get protection and patronage from crime syndicates who have an unholy alliance with a group of unscrupulous members of police, customs, Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bang-ladesh, said other sources in ZIA.
Office in Charge of the Airport thana Sirazul Alam said, "Soon after the withdrawal of task force, we have taken various measures against the organised thugs and criminals."
On the other hand, passengers arriving at ZIA from abroad regularly become victims of harassment by a section of unscrupulous airport staff right under the nose of the police and the CAAB.
Moreover, traffic police, who regulate the parking in the newly-constructed car parking area of the airport, allegedly realise extra tolls illegally from each car in addition to normal toll.
Besides, ansar personnel collect from the incoming passengers handsome tips. If tips are not paid, they are harassed in different ways, sources complained to this correspondent.
They alleged these CAAB employees - mostly cleaners, conveyer belt operators and security guards - are known as 'carriers' in the smuggling racket. They have links with high officials for smuggling of contraband items.
Source- The Bangladesh Today, Date-11-Jan-2009
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)