French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin has disappeared while attempting to row solo across the Atlantic, according to a statement Sunday from the Portuguese navy, which said his boat was found overturned Saturday near the Azores.

Savin’s support team initially said that he had died and that his “lifeless” body was found in the boat by Portuguese officials.

But later Sunday the Portuguese navy said Savin’s boat had been found, but not his body. “The search for the man ended at the end of the day yesterday, without it being possible to find the victim,” the navy said in a statement. “One of the merchant ships collected a waterproof bag that contained the navigator’s identification documents.”

The navy also said that “a warning” remained in effect for ships sailing in the area to be “aware of the possibility of sighting the castaway.”

Savin, 75, activated distress beacons Thursday night and early Friday, according to the statement from his support team, which was posted on his Facebook page.

Portuguese maritime authorities had located Savin’s boat, l’Audacieux (“the Audacious”), Saturday, the statement said.

“For 24 hours, we were in a state of great anxiety,” the support team said in the earlier statement. “We were hoping for a glimmer of hope, and even for good news. Unfortunately, this time the ocean was stronger than our friend, who loved navigation and the sea so much.”

On Sunday evening, the team posted a statement from Manon Savin, Savin’s daughter, which said “To date we have no official confirmation from the Portuguese maritime authorities.”

Savin began his journey from southern Portugal on Jan. 2 and posted several updates on Facebook.

On Jan. 7, the sixth day of the voyage, he described the sea as “very strong” and said that it “felt like a roller coaster.” On Jan. 10, he had traveled about 163 miles, which he said was “a good start!”

On Jan. 19, Savin posted his last diary entry on Facebook.

“I’ve run into some problems in the last 10 or so days,” he wrote. “The solar collector (which should recharge the battery of my water desalination system) has stopped working. I have been forced to use my manual desalinator, but that takes all my physical energy.

“Rest assured,” he added, “I’m not in danger!”

He was heading to the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago, he said.

“There’s a beautiful marina with an airport next door,” he wrote. “Everything I need is there.

“Despite the current difficulties of strong swells and winds, it has become easier as the wind pushes me toward the archipelago,” he wrote, adding, “Despite it all, I will absolutely not give up!”

Savin, who turned 75 during this voyage, hailed from the oyster farming town of Arès, in southwestern France. He was a former military parachutist, pilot and park ranger in Africa who did not settle quietly into his golden years.

By the time he was 71, Savin had already sailed solo across the Atlantic four times.

In 2018, he crossed the Atlantic again, this time in an orange barrel-shaped capsule that he said he had built himself. A New York Times report described the capsule, which was about 10 feet long and 6 feet 8 inches wide, as “smaller than a pickup and held upright by a concrete ballast.”

He completed the journey in 127 days. In an interview afterward, Savin described his time at sea as “complete freedom.”

“It’s hard to convey,” he said. “No one tells you what to do. There are no rules. It’s freedom.”

Though he was skilled, and was equipped with sophisticated navigation and communication tools, that voyage was not without its challenges, he conceded. “Twice, I almost collided with large ships,” he said.

But still, Savin found plenty of time to luxuriate in the opportunities the sea afforded him. He passed the time, he said, by reading, writing in his journal, swimming and diving beneath the barrel to catch fish.

“I had a lot of time to write my book,” he said. “I played a lot of bluegrass on my mandolin.”

French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin has disappeared while attempting to row solo across the Atlantic, according to a statement Sunday from the Portuguese navy, which said his boat was found overturned Saturday near the Azores.

French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin has disappeared while attempting to row solo across the Atlantic, according to a statement Sunday from the Portuguese navy, which said his boat was found overturned Saturday near the Azores. Savin’s support team initially said that he had died and that his “lifeless” body was found in the boat by Portuguese officials. But later Sunday the Portuguese navy said Savin’s boat had been found, but not his body. “The search for the man ended at the end of the day yesterday, without it being possible to find the victim,” the navy said in a statement. “One of the merchant ships collected a waterproof bag that contained the navigator’s identification documents.” The navy also said that “a warning” remained in effect for ships sailing in the area to be “aware of the possibility of sighting the castaway.” Savin, 75, activated distress beacons Thursday night and early Friday, according to the statement from his support team, which was posted on his Facebook page. Portuguese maritime authorities had located Savin’s boat, l’Audacieux (“the Audacious”), Saturday, the statement said. “For 24 hours, we were in a state of great anxiety,” the support team said in the earlier statement. “We were hoping for a glimmer of hope, and even for good news. Unfortunately, this time the ocean was stronger than our friend, who loved navigation and the sea so much.” On Sunday evening, the team posted a statement from Manon Savin, Savin’s daughter, which said “To date we have no official confirmation from the Portuguese maritime authorities.” Savin began his journey from southern Portugal on Jan. 2 and posted several updates on Facebook. On Jan. 7, the sixth day of the voyage, he described the sea as “very strong” and said that it “felt like a roller coaster.” On Jan. 10, he had traveled about 163 miles, which he said was “a good start!” On Jan. 19, Savin posted his last diary entry on Facebook. “I’ve run into some problems in the last 10 or so days,” he wrote. “The solar collector (which should recharge the battery of my water desalination system) has stopped working. I have been forced to use my manual desalinator, but that takes all my physical energy. “Rest assured,” he added, “I’m not in danger!” He was heading to the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago, he said. “There’s a beautiful marina with an airport next door,” he wrote. “Everything I need is there. “Despite the current difficulties of strong swells and winds, it has become easier as the wind pushes me toward the archipelago,” he wrote, adding, “Despite it all, I will absolutely not give up!” Savin, who turned 75 during this voyage, hailed from the oyster farming town of Arès, in southwestern France. He was a former military parachutist, pilot and park ranger in Africa who did not settle quietly into his golden years. By the time he was 71, Savin had already sailed solo across the Atlantic four times. In 2018, he crossed the Atlantic again, this time in an orange barrel-shaped capsule that he said he had built himself. A New York Times report described the capsule, which was about 10 feet long and 6 feet 8 inches wide, as “smaller than a pickup and held upright by a concrete ballast.” He completed the journey in 127 days. In an interview afterward, Savin described his time at sea as “complete freedom.” “It’s hard to convey,” he said. “No one tells you what to do. There are no rules. It’s freedom.” Though he was skilled, and was equipped with sophisticated navigation and communication tools, that voyage was not without its challenges, he conceded. “Twice, I almost collided with large ships,” he said. But still, Savin found plenty of time to luxuriate in the opportunities the sea afforded him. He passed the time, he said, by reading, writing in his journal, swimming and diving beneath the barrel to catch fish. “I had a lot of time to write my book,” he said. “I played a lot of bluegrass on my mandolin.”

French adventurer attempting to row solo across the Atlantic is missing

A volcano on Spain's La Palma Island has erupted after 50 years. It has destroyed more than 400 homes and forced the evacuation of 6,000 people. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas US Edition: Lava from La Palma volcano could reach the Atlantic Ocean

A woman has been found clinging to an upturned inflatable dinghy, &nbsp;about 138 miles off the Canary Islands.&nbsp;

She is the only survivor of a migrant tragedy feared to have claimed 52 lives.

The woman was spotted in a poor state by a passing merchant ship. Emergency services immediately flew her to safety.

Also, two bodies were found by the coastguard and the woman told officials that more than 50 other people were on board.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/powerful-storm-threatens-us-east-coast-407347">Also read |&nbsp;Powerful storm threatens US east coast</a>

More than 8,000 migrants have reached Spain's Canary Islands this year.

As per the estimates by the UN migration officials, more than 350 people have died this year trying to reach Spain's Canary Islands.&nbsp;

However, walking borders believes it could be higher than 2,000.

This week 47 people were feared to have died off the coast of Mauritania when a boat lost power and drifted for almost two weeks until it was spotted by coastguards.

A woman has been found clinging to an upturned inflatable dinghy, about 138 miles off the Canary Islands. She is the only survivor of a migrant tragedy feared to have claimed 52 lives.

A woman has been found clinging to an upturned inflatable dinghy, about 138 miles off the Canary Islands. She is the only survivor of a migrant tragedy feared to have claimed 52 lives. The woman was spotted in a poor state by a passing merchant ship. Emergency services immediately flew her to safety. Also, two bodies were found by the coastguard and the woman told officials that more than 50 other people were on board. Also read | Powerful storm threatens US east coast More than 8,000 migrants have reached Spain's Canary Islands this year. As per the estimates by the UN migration officials, more than 350 people have died this year trying to reach Spain's Canary Islands. However, walking borders believes it could be higher than 2,000. This week 47 people were feared to have died off the coast of Mauritania when a boat lost power and drifted for almost two weeks until it was spotted by coastguards.

Spain: Sole survivor rescued in dinghy in Atlantic

Meteorologists have now named the sixth Atlantic storm of 2021, hinting towards an above-average season ahead. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has bestowed the name Tropical Storm Fred on a low-pressure system barrelling through the Caribbean.

Meteorologists have now named the sixth Atlantic storm of 2021, hinting towards an above-average season ahead. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has bestowed the name Tropical Storm Fred on a low-pressure system barrelling through the Caribbean. The sixth named storm of the year usually forms at the end of August. Also read | COVID-19 may become a mostly childhood disease in few years: Study In the coming days, it could lead to strong winds, heavy rain and high seas to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Ever since storm Eta, the Atlantic has been very quiet. Matthew Rosencrans, a lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at Noaa's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) in College Park, Maryland, was quoted by the BBC as saying, "A mix of competing oceanic and atmospheric conditions generally favour above-average activity for the remainder of the Atlantic hurricane season, including the potential return of La Niña in the months ahead".

Sixth Atlantic storm may lead to above-average hurricane season

From Afghanistan to Iraq, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, America is cutting down its military presence & pulling back from conflicts it escalated. For a country that wants to be seen as a superpower, this retreat is humiliating. Palki Sharma tells you why.

Gravitas: America is retreating from conflicts it escalated

An enormous iceberg is heading toward South Georgia Island in the southern Atlantic, where scientists say a collision could devastate wildlife by threatening the food chain.

Giant iceberg on course to collide with south Atlantic penguin colony island

Hurricane Dorian is expected to strengthen into a dangerous Category 3 storm on Friday with winds of at least 111 mph (178 km/h) as it heads towards Florida's Atlantic coast.

Dorian is forecast to swell later into a powerful Category 4 storm with violent winds topping 130 mph (210 km/h) before it makes landfall on Labor Day.

The entire state of Florida is under a declaration of emergency and Governor Ron DeSantis activated 2,500 National Guard troops with another 1,500 on standby.

No evacuations were ordered as of early Friday, but many are expected as the storm's path become clearer before it makes landfall on Monday.

Dorian was a Category 2 storm early on Friday with winds of 105 mph and its 12 mph (9 kph) trajectory could slow down allowing it to crawl across the warm coastal waters, a recipe for storm fuel.

It is expected to become a Category 4 by Monday on the 5-step Saffir-Simpson scale for measuring hurricane intensity.

Recent weather models from the National Hurricane Center show it smacking into the center of the state.

And then it is expected roll inland to Orlando on Tuesday, as it weakens into a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 95 mph (177 km/h).

Other NHC weather models show the storm tracking south toward Miami in south Florida before it hits the peninsula, or heading north to the Georgia coast.

With the dangerous winds, the storm is expected to drop 5-to-10 inches of rain on the state with some areas getting as much as 15 inches.

"This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods," forecasters said.

US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned trip to Poland, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his place, so he can make sure federal resources are properly directed for the storm.

"Now it's looking like it could be an absolute monster," Trump said in a video posted on Twitter, adding that food and water was being shipped to Florida.

DeSantis said that Floridians need to take the storm seriously.

"Hurricane #Dorian is moving slowly &amp; gaining strength," DeSantis wrote on Twitter. "Now is the time to get prepared &amp; have a plan."

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in 12 counties to assist with storm readiness, response and recovery.

It was unclear if Florida's famed theme parks including Disney World would close, as they have done during previous hurricanes, such as Irma in 2017.

But Harris Rosen, owner of the Central Florida hotel chain Rosen Hotels and Resorts, is offering discount rates at 8 hotels for people and their pets who flee the coast to Orlando, the company announced on its website.

'Not looking good'

Angela Johnson, a 39-year-old bar manager in South Florida, said: "We're worried. This is not looking good for us."

"We woke up a lot more scared than we went to bed last night, and the news is not getting any better," said Johnson, who manages Coconuts On The Beach, a bar and restaurant on the surfing beach in the town of Cocoa Beach.

Officials were making piles of sand available for Cocoa Beach residents to fill sandbags starting on Friday.

Dorian could churn across dozens of launchpads owned by NASA, the US&nbsp;Air Force and companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.

The Miami-based NHC said hurricane watches could be issued for portions of the Bahamas on Friday and the risk of "devastating hurricane-force winds along the Florida east coast late this weekend and early next week continues to increase."

Tropical storm-force winds could be felt in parts of the state as early as Saturday evening.

Hurricane Dorian is expected to strengthen into a dangerous Category 3 storm on Friday with winds of at least 111 mph (178 km/h) as it heads towards Florida's Atlantic coast.

Hurricane Dorian is expected to strengthen into a dangerous Category 3 storm on Friday with winds of at least 111 mph (178 km/h) as it heads towards Florida's Atlantic coast. Dorian is forecast to swell later into a powerful Category 4 storm with violent winds topping 130 mph (210 km/h) before it makes landfall on Labor Day. The entire state of Florida is under a declaration of emergency and Governor Ron DeSantis activated 2,500 National Guard troops with another 1,500 on standby. No evacuations were ordered as of early Friday, but many are expected as the storm's path become clearer before it makes landfall on Monday. Dorian was a Category 2 storm early on Friday with winds of 105 mph and its 12 mph (9 kph) trajectory could slow down allowing it to crawl across the warm coastal waters, a recipe for storm fuel. It is expected to become a Category 4 by Monday on the 5-step Saffir-Simpson scale for measuring hurricane intensity. Recent weather models from the National Hurricane Center show it smacking into the center of the state. And then it is expected roll inland to Orlando on Tuesday, as it weakens into a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 95 mph (177 km/h). Other NHC weather models show the storm tracking south toward Miami in south Florida before it hits the peninsula, or heading north to the Georgia coast. With the dangerous winds, the storm is expected to drop 5-to-10 inches of rain on the state with some areas getting as much as 15 inches. "This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods," forecasters said. US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned trip to Poland, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his place, so he can make sure federal resources are properly directed for the storm. "Now it's looking like it could be an absolute monster," Trump said in a video posted on Twitter, adding that food and water was being shipped to Florida. DeSantis said that Floridians need to take the storm seriously. "Hurricane #Dorian is moving slowly & gaining strength," DeSantis wrote on Twitter. "Now is the time to get prepared & have a plan." Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in 12 counties to assist with storm readiness, response and recovery. It was unclear if Florida's famed theme parks including Disney World would close, as they have done during previous hurricanes, such as Irma in 2017. But Harris Rosen, owner of the Central Florida hotel chain Rosen Hotels and Resorts, is offering discount rates at 8 hotels for people and their pets who flee the coast to Orlando, the company announced on its website. 'Not looking good' Angela Johnson, a 39-year-old bar manager in South Florida, said: "We're worried. This is not looking good for us." "We woke up a lot more scared than we went to bed last night, and the news is not getting any better," said Johnson, who manages Coconuts On The Beach, a bar and restaurant on the surfing beach in the town of Cocoa Beach. Officials were making piles of sand available for Cocoa Beach residents to fill sandbags starting on Friday. Dorian could churn across dozens of launchpads owned by NASA, the US Air Force and companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. The Miami-based NHC said hurricane watches could be issued for portions of the Bahamas on Friday and the risk of "devastating hurricane-force winds along the Florida east coast late this weekend and early next week continues to increase." Tropical storm-force winds could be felt in parts of the state as early as Saturday evening.

Hurricane Dorian gains strength as Florida braces for direct hit

July 2019 temperatures were the hottest ever recorded globally, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Thursday, while satellite data showed polar ice shrank to its lowest levels.

July 2019 temperatures were the hottest ever recorded globally, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Thursday, while satellite data showed polar ice shrank to its lowest levels. According to the NOAA, the average global temperature for the month was 0.95 degrees Celsius (1.71 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th century average of 15.8 degrees Celsius (60.4 Fahrenheit), making it the hottest July in its records, which go back to 1880. "Much of the planet sweltered in unprecedented heat in July, as temperatures soared to new heights in the hottest month ever recorded. The record warmth also shrank Arctic and Antarctic sea ice to historic lows," the agency said. The findings confirmed data released by the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service on August 5, though the margin of the new record compared to the last, on July 2016, was greater according to the US data. Searing heat waves saw records tumble across Europe last month, while in the US, nearly 150 million people struggled to stay cool from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast and local media reported at least six deaths. The new high is all the more notable because the previous followed a strong El Nino, which boosts average global temperatures beyond the impact of global warming alone. El Ninos are naturally occurring weather events triggered by periodic warming every three to seven years in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Declining polar sea ice "Nine of the 10 hottest July have occurred since 2005 with the last five years ranking as the five hottest," the NOAA said, based on its data from weather stations, ship reports, and buoys. Alaska had its hottest July since it began keeping records in 2005, several countries in Europe saw their heat records smashed, and it was also the hottest month ever across Africa as a whole. There were some regions with cooler than average temperatures including parts of Scandinavia and western and eastern Russia, where temperatures were at least 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) below average or cooler. Average Arctic sea ice meanwhile set a record low for July, at 1.9 million square kilometres (726,000 square miles), 19.8 per cent below average, and surpassing the previous historic low of July 2012. Average Antarctic sea ice was 675,000 square kilometres (260,000 square miles), 4.3 per cent below the 1981-2010 average, making it the smallest for July in the 41-year record. Earlier this month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described global warming and the breaking of recent records as a "climate emergency." "We have always lived through hot summers. But this is not the summer of our youth. This is not your grandfather's summer." US President Donald Trump withdrew in 2017 from the Paris Climate Agreement, which seeks to cap global warming at below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. But a federal climate assessment released by the NOAA last November found that climate change "is affecting the natural environment, agriculture, energy production, and use, land and water resources, transportation, and human health and welfare across the US and its territories."

July 2019 hottest month on record for the planet: US agency

A federal judge in Alaska has overturned US President Donald Trump’s attempt to open vast areas of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to oil and gas leasing.

The decision issued late Friday by US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason leaves intact President Barack Obama’s policies putting the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea, part of the Arctic’s Beaufort Sea and a large swath of Atlantic Ocean off the US East Coast off-limits to oil leasing.

Trump's attempt to undo Obama’s protections was “unlawful” and a violation of the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Gleason ruled. Presidents have the power under that law to withdraw areas from the national oil and gas leasing program, as Obama did, but only Congress has the power to add areas to the leasing program, she said.

The Obama-imposed leasing prohibitions “will remain in full force and effect unless and until revoked by Congress,” Gleason said in her ruling.

Trump’s move to put offshore Arctic and Atlantic areas back into play for oil development came in a 2017 executive order that was part of his “energy dominance” agenda. The order was among a series of actions that jettisoned Obama administration environmental and climate-change initiatives.

The Trump administration has proposed a vastly expanded offshore oil leasing program to start this year. The five-year Trump leasing program would offer two lease sales a year in Arctic waters and at least two lease sales a year in the Atlantic. The Trump plan also calls for several lease sales in remote marine areas off Alaska, like the southern Bering Sea, that are considered to hold negligible potential for oil.

Obama had pulled much of the Arctic off the auction block following a troubled offshore Arctic exploration program pursued by Royal Dutch Shell. Shell spent at least $7 billion trying to explore the Chukchi and part of the Beaufort. The company wrecked one of its drill ships in a grounding and managed to complete only one well to depth. It abandoned the program in 2015 and relinquished its leases.

Gleason, in a separate case, delivered another decision Friday that blocks the Trump administration’s effort to overturn an Obama-era environmental decision.

Gleason struck down a land trade intended to clear the way for a road to be built though sensitive wetlands in Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. The Obama administration, after a four-year environmental impact statement process, determined that the land trade and road would cause too much harm to the refuge to be justified. Trump’s then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke broke the law when he summarily reversed the Obama policy without addressing the facts found in the previous administration’s study of the issue, Gleason ruled.

A federal judge in Alaska has overturned US President Donald Trump’s attempt to open vast areas of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to oil and gas leasing. The decision issued late Friday by US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason leaves intact President Barack Obama’s policies putting the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea, part of the Arctic’s Beaufort Sea and a large swath of Atlantic Ocean off the US East Coast off-limits to oil leasing.

A federal judge in Alaska has overturned US President Donald Trump’s attempt to open vast areas of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to oil and gas leasing. The decision issued late Friday by US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason leaves intact President Barack Obama’s policies putting the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea, part of the Arctic’s Beaufort Sea and a large swath of Atlantic Ocean off the US East Coast off-limits to oil leasing. Trump's attempt to undo Obama’s protections was “unlawful” and a violation of the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Gleason ruled. Presidents have the power under that law to withdraw areas from the national oil and gas leasing program, as Obama did, but only Congress has the power to add areas to the leasing program, she said. The Obama-imposed leasing prohibitions “will remain in full force and effect unless and until revoked by Congress,” Gleason said in her ruling. Trump’s move to put offshore Arctic and Atlantic areas back into play for oil development came in a 2017 executive order that was part of his “energy dominance” agenda. The order was among a series of actions that jettisoned Obama administration environmental and climate-change initiatives. The Trump administration has proposed a vastly expanded offshore oil leasing program to start this year. The five-year Trump leasing program would offer two lease sales a year in Arctic waters and at least two lease sales a year in the Atlantic. The Trump plan also calls for several lease sales in remote marine areas off Alaska, like the southern Bering Sea, that are considered to hold negligible potential for oil. Obama had pulled much of the Arctic off the auction block following a troubled offshore Arctic exploration program pursued by Royal Dutch Shell. Shell spent at least $7 billion trying to explore the Chukchi and part of the Beaufort. The company wrecked one of its drill ships in a grounding and managed to complete only one well to depth. It abandoned the program in 2015 and relinquished its leases. Gleason, in a separate case, delivered another decision Friday that blocks the Trump administration’s effort to overturn an Obama-era environmental decision. Gleason struck down a land trade intended to clear the way for a road to be built though sensitive wetlands in Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. The Obama administration, after a four-year environmental impact statement process, determined that the land trade and road would cause too much harm to the refuge to be justified. Trump’s then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke broke the law when he summarily reversed the Obama policy without addressing the facts found in the previous administration’s study of the issue, Gleason ruled.

US judge scraps Trump order opening Arctic, Atlantic areas to oil leasing

An airplane powered solely by the sun landed safely in Seville in Spain early today after an almost three-day flight across the Atlantic from New York in one of the longest legs of the first ever fuel-less flight around the world. 
 
The single-seat Solar Impulse 2 touched down shortly after 7.30 a.m. local time in Seville after leaving John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 2.30 a.m. EDT on June 20. 
 
The flight of just over 71 hours was the 15th leg of the round-the-world journey by the plane piloted in turns by Swiss aviators Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg. 
 
&quot;Oh-la-la, absolutely perfect,&quot; Piccard said after landing, thanking his engineering crew for their efforts. 
 
With a cruising speed of around 70 kilometres an hour (43 miles per hour), similar to an average car, the plane has more than 17,0000 solar cells built in to wings with a span bigger than that of a Boeing 747. 
 
(Reuters)

The flight of just over 71 hours was the 15th leg of the round-the-world journey piloted by Bertrand Piiccard and Andre Borschbe

An airplane powered solely by the sun landed safely in Seville in Spain early today after an almost three-day flight across the Atlantic from New York in one of the longest legs of the first ever fuel-less flight around the world. The single-seat Solar Impulse 2 touched down shortly after 7.30 a.m. local time in Seville after leaving John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 2.30 a.m. EDT on June 20. The flight of just over 71 hours was the 15th leg of the round-the-world journey by the plane piloted in turns by Swiss aviators Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg. "Oh-la-la, absolutely perfect," Piccard said after landing, thanking his engineering crew for their efforts. With a cruising speed of around 70 kilometres an hour (43 miles per hour), similar to an average car, the plane has more than 17,0000 solar cells built in to wings with a span bigger than that of a Boeing 747. (Reuters)

Solar plane lands in Spain after three-day Atlantic crossing

A solar-powered airplane left the United States today, taking off from New York City to fly across Atlantic for its historic bid to circle the globe. 
 
The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed as Solar Impulse 2, left New York&#39;s John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 2:30 am local time (0630 GMT) &nbsp;today. 
 
The flight is expected to take approximately 90 to 110 hours before landing in Seville Airport, Spain, said&nbsp;the project team. 
 
The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. 
 
The solar craft&#39;s cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. 
 
Andre Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. 
 
On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours for Amelia Earhart to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. 
 
The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. 
 
Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. 
 
The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). 
 
In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013. 
(Reuters)

The solar craft's cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert

A solar-powered airplane left the United States today, taking off from New York City to fly across Atlantic for its historic bid to circle the globe. The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed as Solar Impulse 2, left New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 2:30 am local time (0630 GMT) today. The flight is expected to take approximately 90 to 110 hours before landing in Seville Airport, Spain, said the project team. The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. The solar craft's cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. Andre Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours for Amelia Earhart to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013. (Reuters)

Solar-powered plane takes on Atlantic as part of round-the-world bid

Strong winds and heavy rainfall are&nbsp;expected across the southeastern US&nbsp;on Tuesday even as the centre of Tropical Storm Colin is moving into the Atlantic Ocean.

The storm was 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, at 4 am&nbsp;eastern time (0800 GMT) and moving at 31 mph, the US&nbsp;National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from the Altamaha Sound Georgia to Oregon Inlet in North Carolina on Tuesday morning. On its forecast path, Colin is to barrel along the coast of the southeastern United States before moving out to sea during the day.

As 50 mph winds are expected in the region, a tornado was reported in Lee County Florida, the National Weather Service said. The storm is forecast to&nbsp;dump as much as 1 to 3 inches&nbsp;of rain as flash flood warnings and watches are in effect across the region, the hurricane centre said.

Florida Governor Rick Scott, who&nbsp;declared a state of emergency on Monday in 34 of the state&#39;s 67 counties, said more than 6,000 Florida National Guard members were activated and ready for deployment.

Flooding and property damage resulting from the fierce winds remain&nbsp;threats into the day, and far beyond the storm&#39;s immediate path, forecasters have warned.

A statement from Scott&#39;s office warned residents to be wary of rip currents and the possibility of 10 foot (3 m) waves along the Gulf Coast.

&quot;It is critical that all Floridians use caution and remain alert,&quot; he said in the statement.

In the St&nbsp;Petersburg beach town of Gulfport and in Charleston, South Carolina, roads were flooded, local authorities said on social media.

About 10,000 customers were without power in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, utilities reported.

Colin is part of a brisk start to the Atlantic hurricane season that runs through November&nbsp;30. Over the US&nbsp;Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Carolinas were lashed by heavy rain and winds from Tropical Storm Bonnie.

Tropical storm Colin is expected to damage property and crops, apart from disrupting normal life.

Strong winds and heavy rainfall are expected across the southeastern US on Tuesday even as the centre of Tropical Storm Colin is moving into the Atlantic Ocean. The storm was 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, at 4 am eastern time (0800 GMT) and moving at 31 mph, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said. A tropical storm warning is in effect from the Altamaha Sound Georgia to Oregon Inlet in North Carolina on Tuesday morning. On its forecast path, Colin is to barrel along the coast of the southeastern United States before moving out to sea during the day. As 50 mph winds are expected in the region, a tornado was reported in Lee County Florida, the National Weather Service said. The storm is forecast to dump as much as 1 to 3 inches of rain as flash flood warnings and watches are in effect across the region, the hurricane centre said. Florida Governor Rick Scott, who declared a state of emergency on Monday in 34 of the state's 67 counties, said more than 6,000 Florida National Guard members were activated and ready for deployment. Flooding and property damage resulting from the fierce winds remain threats into the day, and far beyond the storm's immediate path, forecasters have warned. A statement from Scott's office warned residents to be wary of rip currents and the possibility of 10 foot (3 m) waves along the Gulf Coast. "It is critical that all Floridians use caution and remain alert," he said in the statement. In the St Petersburg beach town of Gulfport and in Charleston, South Carolina, roads were flooded, local authorities said on social media. About 10,000 customers were without power in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, utilities reported. Colin is part of a brisk start to the Atlantic hurricane season that runs through November 30. Over the US Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Carolinas were lashed by heavy rain and winds from Tropical Storm Bonnie.

Heavy rain with strong wind, to lash southeast US as storm moves into Atlantic

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