<p>A deeply unsettling video has emerged on social media, showing a Brazilian man's reckless behaviour as he consumed alcohol while permitting his 11-year-old son to take control of his private aircraft. This shocking incident reportedly took place shortly before a tragic crash claimed the lives of both the father and son, media reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The unfortunate event occurred on July 29, resulting in the death of researcher Garon Maia, aged 42, and his young son Francisco Maia. The duo was flying aboard a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58, which tragically crashed into a forested area.</p>

<h2><strong>Investigation underway&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, including whether the video in question was recorded prior to the accident.&nbsp;The distressing video footage shows Maia consuming a bottle of beer while allowing his 11-year-old child to change controls of their private plane.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-reaping-benefits-from-instability-in-niger-says-us-state-secretary-antony-blinken-623660">Wagner reaping benefits from instability in Niger, says US State Secretary Antony Blinken</a></p>

<p>During this worrisome scene, he can be observed providing instructions to his son on how to manoeuvre the aircraft and familiarising him with its various controls.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="pt">Avião bimotor Beechcraft Baron 58, de matrícula PR-IDE, "caiu matando pai e filho" a Aeronave cair em uma região de mata fechada, na divisa de Rondônia e Mato Grosso. Os destroços da aeronave foram localizados na manhã deste domingo (30) o pecuarista Garon Maia e o filho.🇧🇷 <a href="https://t.co/nOEBpVZJup">pic.twitter.com/nOEBpVZJup</a></p>
— D' AVIATION 🇧🇷 (@pgomes7973) <a href="https://twitter.com/pgomes7973/status/1686198914381230081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Although the timing of the video's creation remains uncertain, investigators said its contents show Maia's positive attitude toward safety for himself and his son. Additionally, they are working to determine whether the young boy was operating the plane at the time of the crash.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-gets-furious-and-locks-ex-colleagues-at-former-workplace-after-being-fired-from-job-623655">Man gets furious and locks ex-colleagues at former workplace after being fired from job</a></p>

<p>According to information from a local Brazilian news outlet, Maia took off from a family-owned farm located in Nova Conquista, Rondônia. He made a stop at an airport in Vilhena for refuelling before embarking on a return journey to Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul.</p>

<p>Campo Grande is where his son lived with his mother and attended school.</p>

<h2><strong>Heartbreaking fallout</strong></h2>

<p>Regrettably, the tragic incident's repercussions extended beyond the crash.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Nepal initiates investigation against former Prime Ministers</strong></p>

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<p>Overwhelmed by grief, Maia's wife, Ana Pridonik, sadly took her own life just hours after the funeral for her husband and stepson on August 1.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Aviation regulations in Brazil</strong></h2>

<p>Brazilian aviation laws strictly stipulate that only individuals who are at least 18 years old, have completed their high school education, and are registered with the National Civil Aviation Agency are legally permitted to operate an airplane.&nbsp;</p>

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A deeply unsettling video has emerged on social media, showing a Brazilian man's reckless behaviour as he consumed alcohol while permitting his 11-year-old son to take control of his private aircraft.

A deeply unsettling video has emerged on social media, showing a Brazilian man's reckless behaviour as he consumed alcohol while permitting his 11-year-old son to take control of his private aircraft. This shocking incident reportedly took place shortly before a tragic crash claimed the lives of both the father and son, media reports said. The unfortunate event occurred on July 29, resulting in the death of researcher Garon Maia, aged 42, and his young son Francisco Maia. The duo was flying aboard a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58, which tragically crashed into a forested area. Investigation underway Authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, including whether the video in question was recorded prior to the accident. The distressing video footage shows Maia consuming a bottle of beer while allowing his 11-year-old child to change controls of their private plane. Also Read | Wagner reaping benefits from instability in Niger, says US State Secretary Antony Blinken During this worrisome scene, he can be observed providing instructions to his son on how to manoeuvre the aircraft and familiarising him with its various controls. Avião bimotor Beechcraft Baron 58, de matrícula PR-IDE, "caiu matando pai e filho" a Aeronave cair em uma região de mata fechada, na divisa de Rondônia e Mato Grosso. Os destroços da aeronave foram localizados na manhã deste domingo (30) o pecuarista Garon Maia e o filho.🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/nOEBpVZJup — D' AVIATION 🇧🇷 (@pgomes7973) August 1, 2023 × Although the timing of the video's creation remains uncertain, investigators said its contents show Maia's positive attitude toward safety for himself and his son. Additionally, they are working to determine whether the young boy was operating the plane at the time of the crash. Also Read | Man gets furious and locks ex-colleagues at former workplace after being fired from job According to information from a local Brazilian news outlet, Maia took off from a family-owned farm located in Nova Conquista, Rondônia. He made a stop at an airport in Vilhena for refuelling before embarking on a return journey to Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. Campo Grande is where his son lived with his mother and attended school. Heartbreaking fallout Regrettably, the tragic incident's repercussions extended beyond the crash. Watch | Nepal initiates investigation against former Prime Ministers × Overwhelmed by grief, Maia's wife, Ana Pridonik, sadly took her own life just hours after the funeral for her husband and stepson on August 1. Aviation regulations in Brazil Brazilian aviation laws strictly stipulate that only individuals who are at least 18 years old, have completed their high school education, and are registered with the National Civil Aviation Agency are legally permitted to operate an airplane. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Shocking video | Tragedy follows as Brazilian father drinks beer while 11-year-old son flies plane

<p>A woman, who was travelling on a Spirit Airlines flight&nbsp;in the United States, made a&nbsp;complaint about&nbsp;being forced to pee on the floor of the aeroplane after she was not given access to the lavatory for hours. The incident was recorded by a cabin crew member and later shared on social media, which sparked outrage among netizens.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is not the first time such unruly behaviour has been reported on planes. The spate of such incidents has only increased, with passengers opening emergency exit doors, assaulting crew members and even allegedly peeing on fellow passengers.</p>

<p>In this another bizarre incident, a woman stated that she was "forced to urinate" mid-air on the flight since the airline staff did not allow her to use the restroom of the plane for several hours, according to a report published in &nbsp;View From The Wing.</p>

<p>The incident occurred on a flight operated by US-based Spirit Airlines. According to the outlet, the woman stated that she was made to wait for two hours and "couldn't hold it anymore". Hence, she was forced to urinate on the aircraft's floor and the incident's video was recorded by one of the cabin crew members.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-police-register-case-in-connection-to-call-that-threatened-hijack-of-flight-to-tel-aviv-616255">Delhi police register case over call warning of possible hijack of flight to Tel Aviv</a></p>

<p>"07/20/2023 An African American on board a flight @SpiritAirlines urinates on the floor because she doesn't want to wait for them to open the lavatory after takeoff. The flight attendants, meanwhile, tell her she should drink water 'because your pee smells bad'," read the caption of the video.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Netizens call the situation 'disgusting'&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>After the video was posted on social media, it left many viewers outraged who called the situation "disgusting" and a sign of "civilizational decadence". In the video, which was later pulled down by Twitter, the woman is seen squatting on the floor of the aeroplane and engaging in a heated argument with the flight's crew members, who as per reports, asked her to consume water to mask the smell of her urine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's downright disgusting," commented a user. "Even my cat is much cleaner and patiently waits for her litter to be changed," said another user. A third person stated, "Every day brings its share of civilizational decadence."</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Argentina 'death flight' plane returned from US</strong></p>

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<p>No comments were made by Spirit Airlines on the matter yet. &nbsp;This is not the first time such an incident has occurred on a flight. In 2018, a passenger travelling in Wizz Air had crouched down and urinated on the floor of the plane after she was informed the lavatory was not operational as the plane was being refuelled, according to a report published in UK's Metro.&nbsp;</p>

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A woman, who was travelling on a Spirit Airlines flight in the United States, made a complaint about being forced to pee on the floor of the aeroplane after she was not given access to the lavatory for hours.

A woman, who was travelling on a Spirit Airlines flight in the United States, made a complaint about being forced to pee on the floor of the aeroplane after she was not given access to the lavatory for hours. The incident was recorded by a cabin crew member and later shared on social media, which sparked outrage among netizens. It is not the first time such unruly behaviour has been reported on planes. The spate of such incidents has only increased, with passengers opening emergency exit doors, assaulting crew members and even allegedly peeing on fellow passengers. In this another bizarre incident, a woman stated that she was "forced to urinate" mid-air on the flight since the airline staff did not allow her to use the restroom of the plane for several hours, according to a report published in View From The Wing. The incident occurred on a flight operated by US-based Spirit Airlines. According to the outlet, the woman stated that she was made to wait for two hours and "couldn't hold it anymore". Hence, she was forced to urinate on the aircraft's floor and the incident's video was recorded by one of the cabin crew members. ALSO READ | Delhi police register case over call warning of possible hijack of flight to Tel Aviv "07/20/2023 An African American on board a flight @SpiritAirlines urinates on the floor because she doesn't want to wait for them to open the lavatory after takeoff. The flight attendants, meanwhile, tell her she should drink water 'because your pee smells bad'," read the caption of the video. Netizens call the situation 'disgusting' After the video was posted on social media, it left many viewers outraged who called the situation "disgusting" and a sign of "civilizational decadence". In the video, which was later pulled down by Twitter, the woman is seen squatting on the floor of the aeroplane and engaging in a heated argument with the flight's crew members, who as per reports, asked her to consume water to mask the smell of her urine. "It's downright disgusting," commented a user. "Even my cat is much cleaner and patiently waits for her litter to be changed," said another user. A third person stated, "Every day brings its share of civilizational decadence." WATCH | Argentina 'death flight' plane returned from US No comments were made by Spirit Airlines on the matter yet. This is not the first time such an incident has occurred on a flight. In 2018, a passenger travelling in Wizz Air had crouched down and urinated on the floor of the plane after she was informed the lavatory was not operational as the plane was being refuelled, according to a report published in UK's Metro. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Woman urinates on floor of plane, alleges airline did not let her use washroom

<p>The flight carrying Congress leaders Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi made an emergency landing in India’s central Bhopal city due to bad weather on Tuesday evening, ANI news agency reported citing police.</p>

<p>The Gandhis were returning after attending the two-day meeting in Bengaluru that was attended by 26 opposition parties, and was presided by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.</p>

<p>According to reports, the mother-son duo will now take an IndiGo flight around 9.30 pm to fly back to the national capital New Delhi.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, the opposition parties announced their coalition name in a bid to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA alliance in the 2024 general elections.</p>

<p>They all arrived at a consensus and named their collation ‘INDIA’, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.</p>

<p>It's going to be "a battle between NDA and INDIA" in 2024, Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.</p>

<p>During a press conference, Gandhi said they have chalked out an action plan to discuss more about their ideology and programmes.</p>

<p>"The fight is against the ideology of the BJP and their thinking, they are attacking the country, unemployment is rampant, and the country's wealth is being taken away from millions and handed over to a few of the friends of the BJP and the Prime Minister," Gandhi said.</p>

<h2><strong>Who will head the alliance?</strong></h2>

<p>Though a formal announcement is awaited, several media reports speculated that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be named the president of the alliance and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be announced as the convener.</p>

<p>Moreover, some Left parties were not in favour of calling it an 'alliance' and wanted that to be changed to 'Front'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the next opposition meeting will be held in Mumbai. The date of the meeting is yet to be announced.</p>

<p>Kharge revealed that an 11-member coordination committee will be set up, the names of committee members will be announced during the Mumbai meeting.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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The flight carrying Congress leaders Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi made an emergency landing in India’s central Bhopal city due to bad weather on Tuesday evening, ANI news agency reported citing police.

The flight carrying Congress leaders Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi made an emergency landing in India’s central Bhopal city due to bad weather on Tuesday evening, ANI news agency reported citing police. The Gandhis were returning after attending the two-day meeting in Bengaluru that was attended by 26 opposition parties, and was presided by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. According to reports, the mother-son duo will now take an IndiGo flight around 9.30 pm to fly back to the national capital New Delhi. Earlier in the day, the opposition parties announced their coalition name in a bid to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA alliance in the 2024 general elections. They all arrived at a consensus and named their collation ‘INDIA’, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. It's going to be "a battle between NDA and INDIA" in 2024, Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. During a press conference, Gandhi said they have chalked out an action plan to discuss more about their ideology and programmes. "The fight is against the ideology of the BJP and their thinking, they are attacking the country, unemployment is rampant, and the country's wealth is being taken away from millions and handed over to a few of the friends of the BJP and the Prime Minister," Gandhi said. Who will head the alliance? Though a formal announcement is awaited, several media reports speculated that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be named the president of the alliance and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be announced as the convener. Moreover, some Left parties were not in favour of calling it an 'alliance' and wanted that to be changed to 'Front'. Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the next opposition meeting will be held in Mumbai. The date of the meeting is yet to be announced. Kharge revealed that an 11-member coordination committee will be set up, the names of committee members will be announced during the Mumbai meeting. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: Flight carrying Rahul and Sonia Gandhi makes emergency landing in Bhopal city

<p>A three-man crew from Italy soared more than 50 miles (80 km) above the New Mexico desert on Thursday aboard a Virgin Galactic rocket plane, the company's first flight of paying customers to the edge of space since British billionaire Richard Branson founded the venture in 2004.</p>

<p>The two Italian air force officers and an aerospace engineer from the National Research Council of Italy made the brief suborbital ride with three Virgin Galactic crew members, two of whom piloted the vehicle, VSS Unity, once it was launched at high altitude from the belly of its twin-fuselage carrier plane.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-court-declares-govts-plan-to-send-migrants-to-rwanda-unlawful-610088">British court declares govt’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda unlawful</a></p>

<p>About 75 minutes after leaving the ground with its mothership, the Unity spaceplane safely glided back to its starting point on a runway at Spaceport America, a state-owned complex near the aptly named New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences. Virgin Galactic leases part of the facility.</p>

<p>The flight marked a long-delayed breakthrough for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), finally inaugurating commercial service after nearly 20 years fraught by development setbacks.</p>

<p>Branson founded the company with renowned aerospace mogul Burt Rutan in a venture that grew out of the 2004 Ansari X Prize competition won by Rutan's experimental spaceplane - forerunner of the SpaceShipTwo design of Unity.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-origin-man-jailed-for-smuggling-800-people-into-us-using-uber-610082">Indian-Origin man jailed for smuggling over 800 Indians into US using Uber</a></p>

<p>Virgin becomes the latest commercial enterprise, along with Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and fellow billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX, catering to wealthy customers willing to pay large sums of money to experience the exhilaration of supersonic rocket speed, microgravity and the spectacle of the Earth's curvature from space.</p>

<p>Italian science mission&nbsp;</p>

<p>The "Galactic 01" mission of the Italian team flying on Thursday, however, was billed as a scientific one, with the three men planning to collect biometric data, measure cognitive performance and record how certain liquids and solids mix in microgravity conditions.</p>

<p>For Italian Air Force Colonel Walter Villadei the flight was also part of his astronaut training for a future mission to the International Space Station.</p>

<p>Joining him on Thursday were two Italian colleagues - Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Landolfi, a physician and flight surgeon, and Pantaleone Carlucci, a research council member acting as flight engineer and payload specialist.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Tarang shakti, India's largest multilateral air exercise to be held this year</strong></p>

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<p>Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead "astronaut instructor," and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile.</p>

<p>The gleaming white rocket plane was borne aloft at around 10:30 a.m. EDT (14300 GMT) attached to the underside of its transport jet, VMS Eve, as the carrier plane took off from Spaceport America near the New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences.</p>

<p>Reaching its launch-altitude point roughly 45,000 feet (8.5 miles/13.68 km) above the ground, Unity was then released from the mothership and fell away as the pilots ignited the vehicle's engine to send the rocket plane streaking in a near-vertical climb at about three times the speed of sound to the blackness of space.</p>

<p>Virgin Galactic said Unity topped out its flight at an altitude of nearly 52.9 miles (85.1 km).</p>

<p>At the apex of the flight, with the rocket shut down, the crew then experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before the craft shifted into re-entry mode and began its gliding descent back to Earth.</p>

<p>A Virgin Galactic webcast showed live footage of crew members strapped into their seats in flight suits and sunglasses as they neared the height of their voyage, then enjoying the thrill of microgravity as Villadei unveiled an Italian flag in the cabin.</p>

<p>Evolving business model&nbsp;</p>

<p>The flight came two years after Branson himself rode along with five other Virgin Galactic personnel for the first fully crewed test spaceflight of Unity in July 2021. At the time, the company was targeting regular commercial service to begin in 2022 following additional test flights.</p>

<p>But completion of the test program took longer than anticipated after federal regulators grounded Unity for 11 weeks while the company was under investigation for deviating from its assigned airspace on ascent during the July 2021 flight. A final crewed test flight to space was conducted with little fanfare five weeks ago.</p>

<p>The company had said before Thursday's launch that a successful flight would pave the way for Unity to fly again in early August, with monthly flights thereafter.</p>

<p>Virgin Galactic has said it has already booked a backlog of some 800 customers, charging most from $250,000 to $450,000 per seat, and envisions eventually building a large enough fleet to accommodate 400 flights annually.</p>

<p>Establishing a solid safety record is critical. An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another. Passengers are required to sign a pre-flight waiver acknowledging the risks and lack of government regulation over space tourism.</p>

<p>How high one goes to experience what is considered true spaceflight may also factor into the equation.</p>

<p>Bezos, whose astro-tourist venture Blue Origin has already flown several commercial passenger flights, has disparaged Virgin as falling short of the mark.</p>

<p>Unlike Unity, Bezos has said, Blue Origin's suborbital New Shepard rocketship tops the 62-mile-high-mark (100 km), called the Karman line, set by an international aeronautics body as defining the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and space.</p>

<p>NASA and the U.S. Air Force both define an astronaut as anyone who has flown 50 miles (80 km) high or more.</p>

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A three-man crew from Italy soared more than 50 miles (80 km) above the New Mexico desert on Thursday aboard a Virgin Galactic rocket plane, the company's first flight of paying customers to the edge of space since British billionaire Richard Branson founded the venture in 2004.

A three-man crew from Italy soared more than 50 miles (80 km) above the New Mexico desert on Thursday aboard a Virgin Galactic rocket plane, the company's first flight of paying customers to the edge of space since British billionaire Richard Branson founded the venture in 2004. The two Italian air force officers and an aerospace engineer from the National Research Council of Italy made the brief suborbital ride with three Virgin Galactic crew members, two of whom piloted the vehicle, VSS Unity, once it was launched at high altitude from the belly of its twin-fuselage carrier plane. Also Read | British court declares govt’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda unlawful About 75 minutes after leaving the ground with its mothership, the Unity spaceplane safely glided back to its starting point on a runway at Spaceport America, a state-owned complex near the aptly named New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences. Virgin Galactic leases part of the facility. The flight marked a long-delayed breakthrough for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), finally inaugurating commercial service after nearly 20 years fraught by development setbacks. Branson founded the company with renowned aerospace mogul Burt Rutan in a venture that grew out of the 2004 Ansari X Prize competition won by Rutan's experimental spaceplane - forerunner of the SpaceShipTwo design of Unity. Also Read | Indian-Origin man jailed for smuggling over 800 Indians into US using Uber Virgin becomes the latest commercial enterprise, along with Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and fellow billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX, catering to wealthy customers willing to pay large sums of money to experience the exhilaration of supersonic rocket speed, microgravity and the spectacle of the Earth's curvature from space. Italian science mission The "Galactic 01" mission of the Italian team flying on Thursday, however, was billed as a scientific one, with the three men planning to collect biometric data, measure cognitive performance and record how certain liquids and solids mix in microgravity conditions. For Italian Air Force Colonel Walter Villadei the flight was also part of his astronaut training for a future mission to the International Space Station. Joining him on Thursday were two Italian colleagues - Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Landolfi, a physician and flight surgeon, and Pantaleone Carlucci, a research council member acting as flight engineer and payload specialist. Watch | Tarang shakti, India's largest multilateral air exercise to be held this year × Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead "astronaut instructor," and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile. The gleaming white rocket plane was borne aloft at around 10:30 a.m. EDT (14300 GMT) attached to the underside of its transport jet, VMS Eve, as the carrier plane took off from Spaceport America near the New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences. Reaching its launch-altitude point roughly 45,000 feet (8.5 miles/13.68 km) above the ground, Unity was then released from the mothership and fell away as the pilots ignited the vehicle's engine to send the rocket plane streaking in a near-vertical climb at about three times the speed of sound to the blackness of space. Virgin Galactic said Unity topped out its flight at an altitude of nearly 52.9 miles (85.1 km). At the apex of the flight, with the rocket shut down, the crew then experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before the craft shifted into re-entry mode and began its gliding descent back to Earth. A Virgin Galactic webcast showed live footage of crew members strapped into their seats in flight suits and sunglasses as they neared the height of their voyage, then enjoying the thrill of microgravity as Villadei unveiled an Italian flag in the cabin. Evolving business model The flight came two years after Branson himself rode along with five other Virgin Galactic personnel for the first fully crewed test spaceflight of Unity in July 2021. At the time, the company was targeting regular commercial service to begin in 2022 following additional test flights. But completion of the test program took longer than anticipated after federal regulators grounded Unity for 11 weeks while the company was under investigation for deviating from its assigned airspace on ascent during the July 2021 flight. A final crewed test flight to space was conducted with little fanfare five weeks ago. The company had said before Thursday's launch that a successful flight would pave the way for Unity to fly again in early August, with monthly flights thereafter. Virgin Galactic has said it has already booked a backlog of some 800 customers, charging most from $250,000 to $450,000 per seat, and envisions eventually building a large enough fleet to accommodate 400 flights annually. Establishing a solid safety record is critical. An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another. Passengers are required to sign a pre-flight waiver acknowledging the risks and lack of government regulation over space tourism. How high one goes to experience what is considered true spaceflight may also factor into the equation. Bezos, whose astro-tourist venture Blue Origin has already flown several commercial passenger flights, has disparaged Virgin as falling short of the mark. Unlike Unity, Bezos has said, Blue Origin's suborbital New Shepard rocketship tops the 62-mile-high-mark (100 km), called the Karman line, set by an international aeronautics body as defining the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and space. NASA and the U.S. Air Force both define an astronaut as anyone who has flown 50 miles (80 km) high or more. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Virgin Galactic completes first commercial rocket plane flight to space

<p>A North Carolina man named Phil Stringer experienced the upgrade of a lifetime when he found himself as the sole passenger on a flight after an 18-hour delay.</p>

<p>Originally scheduled for a 6:20 a.m. departure from Oklahoma City to Charlotte, North Carolina, Stringer was the only traveller to show up at the gate when boarding finally began past midnight, reported the New York Post.</p>

<h2><strong>Stringer captures the unique experience on TikTok</strong></h2>

<p>Stringer, feeling apologetic for making the American Airlines crew show up just for him, soon discovered that the flight attendants had a sense of humour.</p>

<p>They turned the situation into a "private party" in the sky, which Stringer captured on TikTok and shared with the world.</p>

<p>The video gained over 15.4 million views, showcasing the flight attendants laughing and cheering as they performed the required announcements and demonstrations for their audience of one.</p>

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This is an amazing story about a friend of mine, Phil Stringer! The story is on his fb page. <a href="https://t.co/9ug1PQRzhA">pic.twitter.com/9ug1PQRzhA</a></p>
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<p>The flight attendants even included personalised messages for Stringer during their loudspeaker announcements, creating a lighthearted and entertaining atmosphere.</p>

<p>Stringer, initially surprised by the lack of other passengers at the gate, had tried unsuccessfully to change his flight multiple times during the 18-hour wait.</p>

<p>As the COO of a real estate brokerage, he needed to get home. He expressed his apologies to the crew, who jokingly teased him about not leaving a few hours later.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/costly-mistake-cleaner-turns-of-freezer-accidentally-destroys-decades-of-research-in-new-york-college-609452">'Costly mistake': Cleaner turns off freezer, accidentally destroys decades of research in New York college</a></p>

<h2><strong>Turning a bad day into a fun adventure</strong></h2>

<p>Once the flight took off, Stringer's fortunes turned around. Enjoying the perks of a private flight, he had his pick of first-class seats and received top-notch food and drink service.</p>

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<p><em><strong>Phil Stringer poses with the cabin crew. Photo: Twitter</strong></em></p>

<p>Throughout the journey, Stringer and the crew engaged in lively conversations, jokes, and laughter, transforming the delay into a memorable experience.</p>

<p>The flight concluded with a group selfie featuring the crew and their VIP passenger. Stringer even exchanged contact information with the airline staff, solidifying the connections made during the extraordinary flight. Many flight attendants expressed in the comments of Stringer's viral video that serving a single passenger is a dream scenario.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India: 350 passengers stranded in Jaipur as Air India pilot refuses to fly after emergency landing</strong></p>

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<p>Stringer's positive attitude played a key role in shaping his destination. While the 18-hour airport wait was less than ideal, he recognised the potential for fun and turned the experience into a memorable adventure.</p>

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A North Carolina man named Phil Stringer experienced the upgrade of a lifetime when he found himself as the sole passenger on a flight after an 18-hour delay. Originally scheduled for a 6:20 a.

A North Carolina man named Phil Stringer experienced the upgrade of a lifetime when he found himself as the sole passenger on a flight after an 18-hour delay. Originally scheduled for a 6:20 a.m. departure from Oklahoma City to Charlotte, North Carolina, Stringer was the only traveller to show up at the gate when boarding finally began past midnight, reported the New York Post. Stringer captures the unique experience on TikTok Stringer, feeling apologetic for making the American Airlines crew show up just for him, soon discovered that the flight attendants had a sense of humour. They turned the situation into a "private party" in the sky, which Stringer captured on TikTok and shared with the world. The video gained over 15.4 million views, showcasing the flight attendants laughing and cheering as they performed the required announcements and demonstrations for their audience of one. @TODAYshow @hodakotb @craigmelvin @SavannahGuthrie @DylanDreyerNBC This is an amazing story about a friend of mine, Phil Stringer! The story is on his fb page. pic.twitter.com/9ug1PQRzhA — . (@Mr_Char1955) June 28, 2023 × The flight attendants even included personalised messages for Stringer during their loudspeaker announcements, creating a lighthearted and entertaining atmosphere. Stringer, initially surprised by the lack of other passengers at the gate, had tried unsuccessfully to change his flight multiple times during the 18-hour wait. As the COO of a real estate brokerage, he needed to get home. He expressed his apologies to the crew, who jokingly teased him about not leaving a few hours later. Also read | 'Costly mistake': Cleaner turns off freezer, accidentally destroys decades of research in New York college Turning a bad day into a fun adventure Once the flight took off, Stringer's fortunes turned around. Enjoying the perks of a private flight, he had his pick of first-class seats and received top-notch food and drink service. Phil Stringer poses with the cabin crew. Photo: Twitter Throughout the journey, Stringer and the crew engaged in lively conversations, jokes, and laughter, transforming the delay into a memorable experience. The flight concluded with a group selfie featuring the crew and their VIP passenger. Stringer even exchanged contact information with the airline staff, solidifying the connections made during the extraordinary flight. Many flight attendants expressed in the comments of Stringer's viral video that serving a single passenger is a dream scenario. Also watch | India: 350 passengers stranded in Jaipur as Air India pilot refuses to fly after emergency landing Stringer's positive attitude played a key role in shaping his destination. While the 18-hour airport wait was less than ideal, he recognised the potential for fun and turned the experience into a memorable adventure. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Private party' in the sky: US man enjoys entire plane to himself after 18-hour flight delay

Argentine officials on Monday welcomed the return of an airplane from which the country's last military dictatorship threw political opponents to their deaths, and that will now be part of a museum dedicated to the victims' memory.

Argentina 'death flight' plane returned from US

<p>A New Zealand flight bound for Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in the Southern Pacific was struck by lightning early Thursday morning.</p>

<p>Passengers on board had the scare of their life as the Air New Zealand flight circled over Tāwharanui Peninsula in northern Auckland eight times for almost an hour before landing around 8 am (local time).</p>

<p>Flight tracking showed the aircraft didn’t make it far before being hit.&nbsp;The aircraft was an Airbus A321 —a twin-jet plane.&nbsp;NZ942 was struck shortly after take-off. The plane had to use up some fuel before landing.</p>

<p>Following the incident, Air NZ said they set up a “recovery flight” to get disappointed jet-setters to Cook Island.</p>

<p>“The aircraft has now landed back in Auckland, where it will undergo standard engineering checks,” an Air NZ spokesperson said just after 8:30 am (local time), according to Stuff news portal.</p>

<p>The spokesperson said that lightning strikes are not uncommon.</p>

<p>“Aircraft are designed with this in mind and our pilots train for this scenario.”</p>

<p>Notably, this wasn’t the first time that a plane turned back after experiencing a few glitches.</p>

<p>Earlier this week, a damaged windscreen forced a plane headed for&nbsp;Japan to turn around miles above the Pacific Ocean on Monday.</p>

<h2><strong>Lightning strikes are common</strong></h2>

<p>As mentioned by Air NZ’s spokesperson, lightning striking a plane is common. More lightning strikes occur while in clouds, during the climb and descent phases of flight, than in any other flight phase.</p>

<p>The reason is that lightning activity is more prevalent between 5000 to 15,000 feet (1524m to 4572m).</p>

<p>The planes that undertake short routes with a high incidence of lightning activity are more likely to be struck compared to long-haul airplanes operating in mild environments, experts noted.</p>

<p>A study by Boeing argued that a single bolt of lightning could contain as much as 1 million volts or 30,000 amps.</p>

<p>The amount and type of damage an airplane experiences when struck by lightning can vary greatly, depending on factors such as the energy level of the strike, the attachment and exit locations, and the duration of the strike, the study says.</p>

<p>Most commercial flights are made of aluminium, which is a good conductor of electricity and allows the lightning to pass across the skin of the aircraft, with the current usually exiting the aircraft at the tail.</p>

<p>Static wicks (small wires that are screwed into the trailing edge of plane wings) discharge static electricity that an aircraft picks up as it moves through the air but also dissipates a lightning strike.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A New Zealand flight bound for Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in the Southern Pacific was struck by lightning early Thursday morning. Passengers on board had the scare of their life as the Air New Zealand flight circled over Tāwharanui Peninsula in northern Auckland eight times for almost an hour before landing around 8 am (local time).

A New Zealand flight bound for Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in the Southern Pacific was struck by lightning early Thursday morning. Passengers on board had the scare of their life as the Air New Zealand flight circled over Tāwharanui Peninsula in northern Auckland eight times for almost an hour before landing around 8 am (local time). Flight tracking showed the aircraft didn’t make it far before being hit. The aircraft was an Airbus A321 —a twin-jet plane. NZ942 was struck shortly after take-off. The plane had to use up some fuel before landing. Following the incident, Air NZ said they set up a “recovery flight” to get disappointed jet-setters to Cook Island. “The aircraft has now landed back in Auckland, where it will undergo standard engineering checks,” an Air NZ spokesperson said just after 8:30 am (local time), according to Stuff news portal. The spokesperson said that lightning strikes are not uncommon. “Aircraft are designed with this in mind and our pilots train for this scenario.” Notably, this wasn’t the first time that a plane turned back after experiencing a few glitches. Earlier this week, a damaged windscreen forced a plane headed for Japan to turn around miles above the Pacific Ocean on Monday. Lightning strikes are common As mentioned by Air NZ’s spokesperson, lightning striking a plane is common. More lightning strikes occur while in clouds, during the climb and descent phases of flight, than in any other flight phase. The reason is that lightning activity is more prevalent between 5000 to 15,000 feet (1524m to 4572m). The planes that undertake short routes with a high incidence of lightning activity are more likely to be struck compared to long-haul airplanes operating in mild environments, experts noted. A study by Boeing argued that a single bolt of lightning could contain as much as 1 million volts or 30,000 amps. The amount and type of damage an airplane experiences when struck by lightning can vary greatly, depending on factors such as the energy level of the strike, the attachment and exit locations, and the duration of the strike, the study says. Most commercial flights are made of aluminium, which is a good conductor of electricity and allows the lightning to pass across the skin of the aircraft, with the current usually exiting the aircraft at the tail. Static wicks (small wires that are screwed into the trailing edge of plane wings) discharge static electricity that an aircraft picks up as it moves through the air but also dissipates a lightning strike. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

New Zealand plane en route to Southern Pacific island struck by lightning

<p>Sophia Celentano, a 21-year-old college intern from US state of South Carolina has caught the attention of social media with her unique commuting strategy. Rather than renting a place near her New Jersey summer internship, she hops on a plane from Charleston to Newark every week, highlighting the financial benefits of her untraditional approach.&nbsp;Her TikTok video headlined, “Why I take a plane to work" showcasing her routine has gone viral, gaining widespread attention and sparking curiosity.</p>

<h2><strong>Cost-effective and flexible lifestyle</strong></h2>

<p>To avoid the hefty rent of over $3,400 per month, Celentano opted for a $100 round-trip flight for her weekly in-person work as a corporate marketing intern.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This arrangement allows her to enjoy the flexibility of living with her family in South Carolina while attending the University of Virginia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsoft-outages-in-early-june-due-to-cyberattacks-605731">Microsoft outages in early June due to cyberattacks</a></p>

<p>The median cost of renting an apartment in Manhattan, where her internship takes place, reached a record-breaking $4,241 in April, further emphasising the cost-saving aspect of her commute.</p>

<h2><strong>Making the most of internship experience</strong></h2>

<p>Celentano expressed her enthusiasm for her unconventional commute, which not only saves her money but also provides her with a unique sense of adventure each week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On her LinkedIn account, she wrote, “My untraditional commute provides me with more lifestyle freedom, and I genuinely look forward to my weekly adventures.”</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-schoolgirls-poisoning-state-sanctioned-committee-tries-to-downplay-poisoning-attacks-says-report-605671">Iran schoolgirls poisoning: State-sanctioned committee tries to downplay poisoning attacks, says report</a></p>

<p>Despite the early morning wake-up call and occasional Uber rides and food expenses, she finds joy in the lifestyle freedom her arrangement offers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Celentano's employer, Oglivy Health, is aware of her situation and has been supportive, understanding the benefits it provides her as an intern.</p>

<h2><strong>Flying Spirit for savings</strong></h2>

<p>By opting for Spirit Airlines, known for its budget-friendly flights, Celentano manages to keep her commute expenses relatively low. The weekly flight costs her approximately $100, and she spends an additional $100 on Uber rides to and from the airport, along with $25 on food.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Russia's latest space agency mission: Raising a militia for the war in Ukraine?</strong></p>

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<p>In total, her commuting costs for the entire 10-week internship amount to $2,250.</p>

<h2><strong>Savings amidst soaring rental prices</strong></h2>

<p>Celentano estimates that she is saving at least $2,000 this summer by choosing her unique commuting strategy over renting and living in New Jersey or New York. While rental prices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Jersey City continue to reach record highs, she is fortunate to stay with her family in Charleston during this time.</p>

<h2><strong>A perspective on financial realities and pressures</strong></h2>

<p>Growing up witnessing the benefits and flexibility it provides, she saw it as a natural choice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’ve grown up seeing the flexibility and benefits that provides their lifestyle, so I didn’t really think twice about super commuting this summer. I understand though why people were so shocked by my decision,” she told CNN.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, she acknowledges why others find it shocking and believes it sheds light on the current cost of living and the pressures faced by young adults entering the workforce.</p>

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Sophia Celentano, a 21-year-old college intern from US state of South Carolina has caught the attention of social media with her unique commuting strategy. Rather than renting a place near her New Jersey summer internship, she hops on a plane from Charleston to Newark every week, highlighting the financial benefits of her untraditional approach.

Sophia Celentano, a 21-year-old college intern from US state of South Carolina has caught the attention of social media with her unique commuting strategy. Rather than renting a place near her New Jersey summer internship, she hops on a plane from Charleston to Newark every week, highlighting the financial benefits of her untraditional approach. Her TikTok video headlined, “Why I take a plane to work" showcasing her routine has gone viral, gaining widespread attention and sparking curiosity. Cost-effective and flexible lifestyle To avoid the hefty rent of over $3,400 per month, Celentano opted for a $100 round-trip flight for her weekly in-person work as a corporate marketing intern. This arrangement allows her to enjoy the flexibility of living with her family in South Carolina while attending the University of Virginia. Also Read | Microsoft outages in early June due to cyberattacks The median cost of renting an apartment in Manhattan, where her internship takes place, reached a record-breaking $4,241 in April, further emphasising the cost-saving aspect of her commute. Making the most of internship experience Celentano expressed her enthusiasm for her unconventional commute, which not only saves her money but also provides her with a unique sense of adventure each week. On her LinkedIn account, she wrote, “My untraditional commute provides me with more lifestyle freedom, and I genuinely look forward to my weekly adventures.” Also Read | Iran schoolgirls poisoning: State-sanctioned committee tries to downplay poisoning attacks, says report Despite the early morning wake-up call and occasional Uber rides and food expenses, she finds joy in the lifestyle freedom her arrangement offers. Celentano's employer, Oglivy Health, is aware of her situation and has been supportive, understanding the benefits it provides her as an intern. Flying Spirit for savings By opting for Spirit Airlines, known for its budget-friendly flights, Celentano manages to keep her commute expenses relatively low. The weekly flight costs her approximately $100, and she spends an additional $100 on Uber rides to and from the airport, along with $25 on food. Watch | Russia's latest space agency mission: Raising a militia for the war in Ukraine? × In total, her commuting costs for the entire 10-week internship amount to $2,250. Savings amidst soaring rental prices Celentano estimates that she is saving at least $2,000 this summer by choosing her unique commuting strategy over renting and living in New Jersey or New York. While rental prices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Jersey City continue to reach record highs, she is fortunate to stay with her family in Charleston during this time. A perspective on financial realities and pressures Growing up witnessing the benefits and flexibility it provides, she saw it as a natural choice. “I’ve grown up seeing the flexibility and benefits that provides their lifestyle, so I didn’t really think twice about super commuting this summer. I understand though why people were so shocked by my decision,” she told CNN. However, she acknowledges why others find it shocking and believes it sheds light on the current cost of living and the pressures faced by young adults entering the workforce. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Taking a plane to work: Story of 21-year-old college intern as super-commuter goes viral

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<p dir="ltr">A video doing the rounds on social media shows a pilot smeared with&nbsp;blood after a bird crashed through the windshield of the aircraft he was flying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The gruesome video shows the giant&nbsp;bird, with the lower part of its body, along with the talons, lodged in the cockpit amid strong winds. The pilot’s skill set and demeanour have taken the internet by surprise as he calmly lands the plane. The incident happened in Ecuador, as per several news outlets who posted the clip online.</p>

<p>The plane landed safely, as reported by Russia Today and the pilot has been identified as Ariel Valiente.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pilot safely lands his plane after a huge bird struck his windshield in the Los Ríos Province, Ecuador. Ariel Valiente was not injured during the incident. <a href="https://t.co/Rl3Esonmtp">pic.twitter.com/Rl3Esonmtp</a></p>
— Breaking Aviation News &amp; Videos (@aviationbrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/aviationbrk/status/1669238324324646912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Pilot safely lands his plane after a huge bird struck his windshield in the Los Rios Province, Ecuador. Ariel Valiente was not injured during the incident," said the text of one of the tweets.</p>

<p>The clip has generated a lot of buzz on Twitter.</p>

<p>"So lucky, I knew an airline pilot that lost his eye when this happened," commented one user. "I've heard of roadkill, but never have I seen or heard of air kill," tweeted another.</p>

<p>"This guy is a legend," said a third user, praising the patience shown by the pilot.</p>

<p>Reacting to the video, a user who calls himself a flight instructor, said on Twitter: "When in a stressful situation, pilots will revert to the first thing they learned. That's why initial training is so important."</p>

<p>It is not clear whether the blood belongs to Captain Valiente or the bird.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/passengers-aboard-indigo-flight-get-pilot-changed-after-failed-landing-attempts-604234">Passengers aboard IndiGo flight get pilot changed after failed landing attempts: Report</a></p>

<p>No information has been provided regarding the species of bird that was involved in the terrifying occurrence, however, some have speculated that it may have been an Andean Condor, which can have a wingspan as large as nine feet.</p>

<p>After a US Airways jet carrying 155 passengers struck a flock of Canada geese and lost power as it flew out of New York's LaGuardia Airport in 2009, pilots and air safety officials began paying particular attention to aeroplanes that impact wildlife.</p>

<p>Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot, piloted the aeroplane into the Hudson River in what became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson," and all 155 people on board survived.</p>

<h2><strong>Which airports have the most wildlife strikes?</strong></h2>

<p>As per the online news source Denverite, Denver International Airport was established in 1995 along the primary flyway for migratory birds across the continent. With well over 9,000 reports through the end of 2022, the airport has the most entries in the wildlife strike database. Only 42 of those impacts resulted in the aircraft suffering serious damage, and no aircraft were obliterated. With more than 2,650 strike reports in the database, the Horned Lark is the species that is hit the most frequently in Denver, reported USA Today.&nbsp;</p>

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A video doing the rounds on social media shows a pilot smeared with blood after a bird crashed through the windshield of the aircraft he was flying. The gruesome video shows the giant bird, with the lower part of its body, along with the talons, lodged in the cockpit amid strong winds.

A video doing the rounds on social media shows a pilot smeared with blood after a bird crashed through the windshield of the aircraft he was flying. The gruesome video shows the giant bird, with the lower part of its body, along with the talons, lodged in the cockpit amid strong winds. The pilot’s skill set and demeanour have taken the internet by surprise as he calmly lands the plane. The incident happened in Ecuador, as per several news outlets who posted the clip online. The plane landed safely, as reported by Russia Today and the pilot has been identified as Ariel Valiente. Disclaimer: The content you are about to see contains graphic images. Some viewers may find the following video disturbing. Pilot safely lands his plane after a huge bird struck his windshield in the Los Ríos Province, Ecuador. Ariel Valiente was not injured during the incident. pic.twitter.com/Rl3Esonmtp — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 15, 2023 × "Pilot safely lands his plane after a huge bird struck his windshield in the Los Rios Province, Ecuador. Ariel Valiente was not injured during the incident," said the text of one of the tweets. The clip has generated a lot of buzz on Twitter. "So lucky, I knew an airline pilot that lost his eye when this happened," commented one user. "I've heard of roadkill, but never have I seen or heard of air kill," tweeted another. "This guy is a legend," said a third user, praising the patience shown by the pilot. Reacting to the video, a user who calls himself a flight instructor, said on Twitter: "When in a stressful situation, pilots will revert to the first thing they learned. That's why initial training is so important." It is not clear whether the blood belongs to Captain Valiente or the bird. Also read | Passengers aboard IndiGo flight get pilot changed after failed landing attempts: Report No information has been provided regarding the species of bird that was involved in the terrifying occurrence, however, some have speculated that it may have been an Andean Condor, which can have a wingspan as large as nine feet. After a US Airways jet carrying 155 passengers struck a flock of Canada geese and lost power as it flew out of New York's LaGuardia Airport in 2009, pilots and air safety officials began paying particular attention to aeroplanes that impact wildlife. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot, piloted the aeroplane into the Hudson River in what became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson," and all 155 people on board survived. Which airports have the most wildlife strikes? As per the online news source Denverite, Denver International Airport was established in 1995 along the primary flyway for migratory birds across the continent. With well over 9,000 reports through the end of 2022, the airport has the most entries in the wildlife strike database. Only 42 of those impacts resulted in the aircraft suffering serious damage, and no aircraft were obliterated. With more than 2,650 strike reports in the database, the Horned Lark is the species that is hit the most frequently in Denver, reported USA Today. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Giant bird smashes through flight windscreen, blood-soaked pilot lands plane patiently

In a miraculous story of survival, four children—including an 11-month-old infant—have reportedly turned up alive after escaping a plane crash and surviving 40 days on their own in the Amazon rainforest. The four children survived a crash in Colombia that killed three other people, including their mother, on May 1.

Colombia plane crash: Four children found alive in Amazon after 40 days

<p>The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary rebel group, have been accused by the Sudanese military of firing at a Turkish evacuation plane on Friday (April 28).</p>

<p>The Turkish C-130 plane was on its way to the Wadi Seidna airfield in northern Sudan to bring back&nbsp;Turkish nationals from the war-torn country, according to the Sudanese military forces, when "rebels" opened fire on it. The official Sudan News Agency reported that the jet had been damaged and one crew member injured.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Twitter, the Turkish Ministry of Defence acknowledged that its aircraft had been shot at at the airport. According to the ministry, nobody was injured.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later, reporters were informed by Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar that two planes had been sent to Sudan for the evacuations. While the damage to the gunfire-damaged plane is being evaluated, one of them returned. No casualties were reported, and he emphasised that evacuations will go on as usual.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement, the RSF denied firing shots at the Turkish evacuation plane.</p>

<p>“We refute these claims and categorically state that they are not based on any factual evidence,” it read.</p>

<h2><strong>What is happening in Sudan?</strong></h2>

<p>The RSF and the armed forces have been engaged in a battle in Sudan for almost two weeks now. The conflict has continued despite several attempts at a ceasefire. A military-RSF ceasefire that was supposed to terminate on Thursday was prolonged for a further 72 hours. Since April 15, at least 512 people have died and 4,193 have been injured in fighting, according to the Sudanese health ministry.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudanese-army-rsf-agree-to-extend-truce-by-72-hours-586826">Sudanese army, RSF agree to extend truce by 72 hours</a></p>

<p>Despite the ceasefire, fighting went on in the southern Sudanese region of Darfur, and on Thursday, RSF positions in Khartoum were attacked by Sudanese fighter jets.</p>

<h2><strong>Evacuation attempts</strong></h2>

<p>Turkey has been attempting to mediate between the warring parties in Sudan, as have other nations in the area. Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attempted to reach out to both sides.</p>

<p>For days, Turkey and a number of other Middle Eastern and European nations have been demanding that their citizens leave Sudan. The US swiftly evacuated its diplomats, but it has not yet launched a significant effort to evacuate its citizens. Al-Monitor reported on Thursday that according to the US State Department, an overland evacuation of US citizens was planned.</p>

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The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary rebel group, have been accused by the Sudanese military of firing at a Turkish evacuation plane on Friday (April 28).

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary rebel group, have been accused by the Sudanese military of firing at a Turkish evacuation plane on Friday (April 28). The Turkish C-130 plane was on its way to the Wadi Seidna airfield in northern Sudan to bring back Turkish nationals from the war-torn country, according to the Sudanese military forces, when "rebels" opened fire on it. The official Sudan News Agency reported that the jet had been damaged and one crew member injured. On Twitter, the Turkish Ministry of Defence acknowledged that its aircraft had been shot at at the airport. According to the ministry, nobody was injured. Later, reporters were informed by Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar that two planes had been sent to Sudan for the evacuations. While the damage to the gunfire-damaged plane is being evaluated, one of them returned. No casualties were reported, and he emphasised that evacuations will go on as usual. In a statement, the RSF denied firing shots at the Turkish evacuation plane. “We refute these claims and categorically state that they are not based on any factual evidence,” it read. What is happening in Sudan? The RSF and the armed forces have been engaged in a battle in Sudan for almost two weeks now. The conflict has continued despite several attempts at a ceasefire. A military-RSF ceasefire that was supposed to terminate on Thursday was prolonged for a further 72 hours. Since April 15, at least 512 people have died and 4,193 have been injured in fighting, according to the Sudanese health ministry. ALSO READ | Sudanese army, RSF agree to extend truce by 72 hours Despite the ceasefire, fighting went on in the southern Sudanese region of Darfur, and on Thursday, RSF positions in Khartoum were attacked by Sudanese fighter jets. Evacuation attempts Turkey has been attempting to mediate between the warring parties in Sudan, as have other nations in the area. Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attempted to reach out to both sides. For days, Turkey and a number of other Middle Eastern and European nations have been demanding that their citizens leave Sudan. The US swiftly evacuated its diplomats, but it has not yet launched a significant effort to evacuate its citizens. Al-Monitor reported on Thursday that according to the US State Department, an overland evacuation of US citizens was planned. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Sudan crisis: Turkish evacuation plane shot at after ceasefire

<p>A deadly cobra was found slithering in a plane's cockpit by South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus at 11,000ft in the air.</p>

<p>The scary co-passenger was slithering under the pilot's seat. "To be truly honest, it's as if my brain did not register what was going on. It was a moment of [...] awe," Erasmus said, adding that he initially mistook the cold feeling on his back as his water bottle.</p>

<p>"I felt this cool sensation, sort of, crawling up my shirt," he stated, believing that he did not close the bottle properly and hence, the water is dripping down his back.</p>

<p>"As I turned to the left and looked down I saw the cobra [...] receding its head backwards underneath the seat,” he said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-hair-raising-video-captures-nine-foot-long-rat-snake-trying-to-bite-zookeeper-570414">WATCH | Hair-raising video captures nine-foot-long rat snake trying to bite zookeeper</a></p>

<p>The pilot had to make an emergency landing. The flight had departed from Bloemfontein and was destined for Pretoria. The private plane, Beechcraft Baron 58, had four passengers onboard along with the snake.</p>

<p>Erasmus said that Cape cobra's single bite is lethal and can lead to the victim's death in 30 minutes, hence to avoid any panic, he carefully thought before telling passengers calmly about the unwanted co-passenger on board.</p>

<p>Erasmus was also "so scared the snake might have gone to the back and cause mass panic". Thinking thoroughly, he decided to inform the passengers.</p>

<p>"I did inform the passengers: 'Listen the snake is inside the aircraft, it's underneath my seat, so let's try and get down to the ground as soon as we can',” he said to the passengers.</p>

<p>Describing about the scary announcement made to the passengers, Erasmus said that there was an absolute moment of silence: "You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two,” he said.</p>

<p>Pilots receive training for dealing with various scenarios, but certainly not for handling snakes in the cockpit, Erasmus said, adding that panicking would have made the situation much worse.</p>

<p>The plane's emergency landing was made in the city of Welkom. The presence of a snake, however, was not a total surprise. Two employees working at Worcester flying club, from where the plane first took off, said that they had seen the reptile enter the aircraft and had tried to "grab" it, but in vain.</p>

<p>Erasmus said that he had also tried finding the snake before boarding the aircraft along with the passengers, but "unfortunately it was not there, so we all then safely assumed that it must have crawled out overnight or earlier that morning, which was on Monday".</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton to be auctioned in Europe | Trending on WION</strong></p>

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<p>The snake is again missing, as engineers who then checked the plane failed to find it. South African civil aviation commissioner Poppy Khosa hailed Erasmus as a hero, praising his "great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the pilot refused to accept that he did anything special. "I think that's a bit blown up if I can be direct. It's also my passengers that remained calm as well,” he said.</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A deadly cobra was found slithering in a plane's cockpit by South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus at 11,000ft in the air. The scary co-passenger was slithering under the pilot's seat.

A deadly cobra was found slithering in a plane's cockpit by South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus at 11,000ft in the air. The scary co-passenger was slithering under the pilot's seat. "To be truly honest, it's as if my brain did not register what was going on. It was a moment of [...] awe," Erasmus said, adding that he initially mistook the cold feeling on his back as his water bottle. "I felt this cool sensation, sort of, crawling up my shirt," he stated, believing that he did not close the bottle properly and hence, the water is dripping down his back. "As I turned to the left and looked down I saw the cobra [...] receding its head backwards underneath the seat,” he said. ALSO READ | WATCH | Hair-raising video captures nine-foot-long rat snake trying to bite zookeeper The pilot had to make an emergency landing. The flight had departed from Bloemfontein and was destined for Pretoria. The private plane, Beechcraft Baron 58, had four passengers onboard along with the snake. Erasmus said that Cape cobra's single bite is lethal and can lead to the victim's death in 30 minutes, hence to avoid any panic, he carefully thought before telling passengers calmly about the unwanted co-passenger on board. Erasmus was also "so scared the snake might have gone to the back and cause mass panic". Thinking thoroughly, he decided to inform the passengers. "I did inform the passengers: 'Listen the snake is inside the aircraft, it's underneath my seat, so let's try and get down to the ground as soon as we can',” he said to the passengers. Describing about the scary announcement made to the passengers, Erasmus said that there was an absolute moment of silence: "You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two,” he said. Pilots receive training for dealing with various scenarios, but certainly not for handling snakes in the cockpit, Erasmus said, adding that panicking would have made the situation much worse. The plane's emergency landing was made in the city of Welkom. The presence of a snake, however, was not a total surprise. Two employees working at Worcester flying club, from where the plane first took off, said that they had seen the reptile enter the aircraft and had tried to "grab" it, but in vain. Erasmus said that he had also tried finding the snake before boarding the aircraft along with the passengers, but "unfortunately it was not there, so we all then safely assumed that it must have crawled out overnight or earlier that morning, which was on Monday". WATCH | 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton to be auctioned in Europe | Trending on WION The snake is again missing, as engineers who then checked the plane failed to find it. South African civil aviation commissioner Poppy Khosa hailed Erasmus as a hero, praising his "great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board”. However, the pilot refused to accept that he did anything special. "I think that's a bit blown up if I can be direct. It's also my passengers that remained calm as well,” he said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Snake scare! Pilot finds deadly cobra in cockpit, makes emergency landing

#Gravitas | According to an analysis, the rear middle seats in a plane are the safest in case of an emergency. @mollygambhir tells you why

Gravitas: What's the safest seat on a plane?

A plane carrying 72 people on board crashed in Nepal's Pokhara on Sunday. The incident claimed at least 68 lives. In the wake of the crash, the Nepali government has now mandated a technical test for flights to be conducted before departure. Watch to know more.

Nepal Plane Crash: 15 foreign nationals and 4 cabin crew members among 72 on board passengers

Nepal Plane Crash: Data from the black boxes recovered may help identify cause of the accident

Nepal Plane Crash: Aircraft's black box found from debris

Nepal Plane Crash: 68 passengers, 4 crew members on borad the Yeti airlines aircraft

At least 40 bodies recovered in the Pokhara plan crash in Nepal. Rescue operations are underway and the airport is closed for the time being. Watch further to know more.

Nepal Plane Crash: Pokhara bound flight crashes 20 minutes after leaving Kathmandu

Nepal Plane Crash: Aircraft crashes between old airport, Pokhara International Airport

Fasten your seat belts because Gerard Butler and Mike Colter are coming together in Plane to make your weekend even more exciting. In an exclusive interview with WION entertainment editor.

WION Dispatch | 'Plane': A white-knuckle action movie

Gerard Butler and Mike Colter will soon be seen sharing screen space in the Lionsgate film 'Plane'. The action thriller will hit theatres on 13th January. WION Entertainment Editor Abira Dhar spoke to the actors who spilt some beans on each other and also opened up about the kind of flyers they are. Gerard who has flown planes before plays a commercial pilot in the film and according to him that was a completely different ball game so he spent a lot of time in the cockpit trying to understand the functions. Cotler on the other hand spoke about Indian films and his love for foreign films. Butler, who has been reading a lot of 'RRR' and has seen few trailers, speaks highly about the film.

Here’s what actor Gerard Butler has to say about Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’

According to the Wall Street Journal, Beverage giant PepsiCo is eliminating hundreds of corporate jobs from its North American snacks and beverages division.

PepsiCo plans to cut hundreds of jobs, says report

In the latest news coming from the U.S., a small plane crashed into a transmission tower in Maryland. rescue operations are underway to extricate the two people on board who were trapped about 100 feet above the ground. Watch full video to know more.

US plane crashes into transmission tower in Maryland

<p>In order to fulfil the rising demand for air travel and the resulting delays in the delivery of new aircraft, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the owner of IndiGo, the leading airline in India, announced on Friday that it is considering "wet leasing" aircraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A "wet lease" arrangement is one in which the lessor provides the aircraft and personnel while still maintaining operational control of the flights.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the release of IndiGo's second-quarter loss report, the airline's new Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers revealed that the company has been prolonging some of its current leases and delaying the return of aircraft.</p>

<p>"Another element which is under discussion today, and we are still in the final stages of clarifying, is a possible wet lease operation," Elbers said.</p>

<p>The demand for air travel has increased to levels that are very similar to those seen before the Covid outbreak, both domestically and abroad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After its loss for the July-September period worsened because of high fuel expenses and foreign exchange losses, IndiGo said it was optimistic about returning to operational profitability in the current quarter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-starbucks-co-founder-relishes-dosa-in-bengaluru-gives-3-star-rating-531184">Watch: Starbucks co-founder relishes Dosa in Bengaluru, gives 3-star rating</a></p>

<p>The airline anticipates an increase in capacity, as defined by the number of available seats per kilometre, of around 25 per cent&nbsp;from the same period last year. Additionally, it kept its forecast for a 13–17 per cent&nbsp;rise in capacity for the current fiscal year.</p>

<p>"In the coming years, we will build on our strong (domestic)foundations with more international aspirations," Elbers said.</p>

<p>According to IndiGo, fuel prices increased by more than three times during the second quarter compared to the same period last year, and rupee-related foreign exchange losses were 12 billion rupees ($145.88 million) for the three months.</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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In order to fulfil the rising demand for air travel and the resulting delays in the delivery of new aircraft, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the owner of IndiGo, the leading airline in India, announced on Friday that it is considering "wet leasing" aircraft.

In order to fulfil the rising demand for air travel and the resulting delays in the delivery of new aircraft, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the owner of IndiGo, the leading airline in India, announced on Friday that it is considering "wet leasing" aircraft. A "wet lease" arrangement is one in which the lessor provides the aircraft and personnel while still maintaining operational control of the flights. Following the release of IndiGo's second-quarter loss report, the airline's new Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers revealed that the company has been prolonging some of its current leases and delaying the return of aircraft. "Another element which is under discussion today, and we are still in the final stages of clarifying, is a possible wet lease operation," Elbers said. The demand for air travel has increased to levels that are very similar to those seen before the Covid outbreak, both domestically and abroad. After its loss for the July-September period worsened because of high fuel expenses and foreign exchange losses, IndiGo said it was optimistic about returning to operational profitability in the current quarter. Also Read: Watch: Starbucks co-founder relishes Dosa in Bengaluru, gives 3-star rating The airline anticipates an increase in capacity, as defined by the number of available seats per kilometre, of around 25 per cent from the same period last year. Additionally, it kept its forecast for a 13–17 per cent rise in capacity for the current fiscal year. "In the coming years, we will build on our strong (domestic)foundations with more international aspirations," Elbers said. According to IndiGo, fuel prices increased by more than three times during the second quarter compared to the same period last year, and rupee-related foreign exchange losses were 12 billion rupees ($145.88 million) for the three months. (with inputs from agencies)

IndiGo may 'wet lease' planes to meet growing demand for air travel

A plane caught fire after a hard landing at Miami International Airport. Smoke was seen coming out of the plane after crash landing. Nearly 140 passengers and 11 crew members were onboard.

Plane catches fire after hard landing at Miami Airport

<p>Five Iranian crew of a cargo plane grounded in Argentina since last week have had their passports temporarily seized pending a probe into possible links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, officials said Monday.</p>

<p>A judge on Monday ordered their travel documents held for an additional 72 hours after Security Minister Anibal Fernandez said information had been received from "foreign organizations" that some among the crew may be linked to companies with ties to the Guards.</p>

<p>The Revolutionary Guards, Iran's ideological army, is on a US blacklist of foreign "terrorist organizations."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-iranian-aerospace-officials-martyred-while-on-mission-487829">Two Iranian aerospace officials ‘martyred while on mission’</a></strong></p>

<p>A routine check found "things that were not logical," Fernandez told Perfil radio on Monday.</p>

<p>"They had declared a crew that was smaller than the one that traveled," he said, adding the matter was "still under investigation."</p>

<p>He said the five Iranians were in a hotel.</p>

<p>Officials originally said their passports had been taken but would be returned if they left the country on a scheduled flight while investigations continued into the plane's origins.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Venezuelan Boeing 747 cargo plane reportedly carrying car parts first landed in Cordoba, Argentina on Monday last week, then tried to travel to neighboring Uruguay, but was denied entry and returned to Ezeiza outside Buenos Aires.</p>

<p>The crew also included 14 Venezuelans, who were free to go.</p>

<p>Neighboring Paraguay had warned of the aircraft's presence in the area, Paraguayan interior minister Federico Gonzalez said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The other intelligence services in the region were alerted and, as a result, Argentina and other countries took action," he said.</p>

<p><strong>'Propaganda'</strong></p>

<p>Iran said Monday that Argentina's move was part of a "propaganda" campaign against Tehran amid tensions with Western countries over negotiations to revive a 2015 nuclear deal.</p>

<p>The grounding of the cargo plane came days before Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Tehran on Saturday for the allies, both subject to US sanctions, to sign a 20-year cooperation pact.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Argentina protests against femicide: 'Justice is slow and patriarchal'</strong></p>

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<p>Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters the grounding of the plane was part of efforts seeking to "cause a feeling of insecurity."</p>

<p>"These recent weeks are filled with propaganda, are full of psychological operations, these wars of words that want to infiltrate the minds and composure of the people," said Khatibzadeh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This news is one of those."</p>

<p>The plane was sold by Iran's Mahan Air to a Venezuelan company last year, he said.</p>

<p>Mahan Air is accused by the United States of links with Iran's Revolutionary Guards.</p>

<p>Monday's court ruling to hold the crew's passports came after&nbsp;a successful bid by the DAIA organization that represents Argentina's Jewish community to be listed as a plaintiff in the investigation.</p>

<p>Interpol has arrest warrants out for former Iranian leaders suspected of involvement in an attack on a Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994 that killed 85 people and injured hundreds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It remains the deadliest terror attack in the country with South America's largest Jewish population.</p>

<p>The grounding of the plane came as a resolution was adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors to censure Iran.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-enriching-uranium-at-an-unprecedented-rate-dangerously-close-to-nukes-israeli-pm-bennett-487478">&nbsp;Iran enriching uranium at unprecedented rate, dangerously close to nukes: Israeli PM Bennett</a></strong></p>

<p>Talks in Vienna, under way since April last year, aim to return the US to a nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that it left in 2018.</p>

<p>The deal had given Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program to guarantee that it could not develop a nuclear weapon, something Tehran has always denied wanting to do.</p>

<p>Iran said Monday that all measures it has taken to roll back on its commitments under the deal are "reversible".</p>

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Five Iranian crew of a cargo plane grounded in Argentina since last week have had their passports temporarily seized pending a probe into possible links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, officials said Monday.

Five Iranian crew of a cargo plane grounded in Argentina since last week have had their passports temporarily seized pending a probe into possible links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, officials said Monday. A judge on Monday ordered their travel documents held for an additional 72 hours after Security Minister Anibal Fernandez said information had been received from "foreign organizations" that some among the crew may be linked to companies with ties to the Guards. The Revolutionary Guards, Iran's ideological army, is on a US blacklist of foreign "terrorist organizations." Also read | Two Iranian aerospace officials ‘martyred while on mission’ A routine check found "things that were not logical," Fernandez told Perfil radio on Monday. "They had declared a crew that was smaller than the one that traveled," he said, adding the matter was "still under investigation." He said the five Iranians were in a hotel. Officials originally said their passports had been taken but would be returned if they left the country on a scheduled flight while investigations continued into the plane's origins. The Venezuelan Boeing 747 cargo plane reportedly carrying car parts first landed in Cordoba, Argentina on Monday last week, then tried to travel to neighboring Uruguay, but was denied entry and returned to Ezeiza outside Buenos Aires. The crew also included 14 Venezuelans, who were free to go. Neighboring Paraguay had warned of the aircraft's presence in the area, Paraguayan interior minister Federico Gonzalez said. "The other intelligence services in the region were alerted and, as a result, Argentina and other countries took action," he said. 'Propaganda' Iran said Monday that Argentina's move was part of a "propaganda" campaign against Tehran amid tensions with Western countries over negotiations to revive a 2015 nuclear deal. The grounding of the cargo plane came days before Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Tehran on Saturday for the allies, both subject to US sanctions, to sign a 20-year cooperation pact. Watch | Argentina protests against femicide: 'Justice is slow and patriarchal' Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters the grounding of the plane was part of efforts seeking to "cause a feeling of insecurity." "These recent weeks are filled with propaganda, are full of psychological operations, these wars of words that want to infiltrate the minds and composure of the people," said Khatibzadeh. "This news is one of those." The plane was sold by Iran's Mahan Air to a Venezuelan company last year, he said. Mahan Air is accused by the United States of links with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Monday's court ruling to hold the crew's passports came after a successful bid by the DAIA organization that represents Argentina's Jewish community to be listed as a plaintiff in the investigation. Interpol has arrest warrants out for former Iranian leaders suspected of involvement in an attack on a Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994 that killed 85 people and injured hundreds. It remains the deadliest terror attack in the country with South America's largest Jewish population. The grounding of the plane came as a resolution was adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors to censure Iran. Also read | Iran enriching uranium at unprecedented rate, dangerously close to nukes: Israeli PM Bennett Talks in Vienna, under way since April last year, aim to return the US to a nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that it left in 2018. The deal had given Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program to guarantee that it could not develop a nuclear weapon, something Tehran has always denied wanting to do. Iran said Monday that all measures it has taken to roll back on its commitments under the deal are "reversible". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Argentina seizes passports of grounded plane's Iranian crew

<p>US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were evacuated from their beach house in Delaware after a plane breached restricted airspace near their house, the White House said.</p>

<p>The Bidens were moved to a secure location briefly, but they are now back at their residence. The incident took place on Saturday.</p>

<p>"A small private plane entered restricted airspace, all indications are by mistake, and precautionary measures were taken," an official told reporters on Saturday, according to CNN.</p>

<p>"There was no threat to the president or his family," the official added.</p>

<p>The Bidens are spending the weekend in Rehoboth Beach, in part to celebrate the first lady's birthday, which was Friday, CNN reported.</p>

<p>The US Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the president, said the plane mistakenly entered a secure area and was "immediately escorted out."</p>

<p>Apart from that, the pilot was not on the proper radio channel and "was not following published flight guidance," Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.</p>

<p>"Shortly before 1 p.m. today a privately owned aircraft entered the restricted airspace over Rehoboth Delaware after mistakenly entering a secured area. The aircraft was immediately escorted out of the restricted airspace,” Guglielmi said in the statement, passed along by the White House.</p>

<p>“Preliminary investigation reveals the pilot was not on the proper radio channel, was not following the NOTAMS (Notice to Airmen) that had been filed and was not following published flight guidance. The United States Secret Service will be interviewing the pilot," the statement added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were evacuated from their beach house in Delaware after a plane breached restricted airspace near their house, the White House said.

US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were evacuated from their beach house in Delaware after a plane breached restricted airspace near their house, the White House said. The Bidens were moved to a secure location briefly, but they are now back at their residence. The incident took place on Saturday. "A small private plane entered restricted airspace, all indications are by mistake, and precautionary measures were taken," an official told reporters on Saturday, according to CNN. "There was no threat to the president or his family," the official added. The Bidens are spending the weekend in Rehoboth Beach, in part to celebrate the first lady's birthday, which was Friday, CNN reported. The US Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the president, said the plane mistakenly entered a secure area and was "immediately escorted out." Apart from that, the pilot was not on the proper radio channel and "was not following published flight guidance," Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. "Shortly before 1 p.m. today a privately owned aircraft entered the restricted airspace over Rehoboth Delaware after mistakenly entering a secured area. The aircraft was immediately escorted out of the restricted airspace,” Guglielmi said in the statement, passed along by the White House. “Preliminary investigation reveals the pilot was not on the proper radio channel, was not following the NOTAMS (Notice to Airmen) that had been filed and was not following published flight guidance. The United States Secret Service will be interviewing the pilot," the statement added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Bidens evacuated from beach house after plane violates airspace

<p>On developing a technical glitch, a Buddha Airlines plane, which had taken off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, returned back, media reports said. The aircraft was heading towards Bhadrapur on Wednesday. The aircraft of the Nepali airline had developed some issue with the plane's tyres, Nepal's MyRepublica news website reported citing the Civil Aviation Office at the airport. The plane had taken off at 10:43 am from Kathmandu and returned soon after, the report quoted a Civil Aviation official as saying. An investigation has begun in this matter, the report said. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes as a Tara Air plane had crashed in the Mustang district of Nepal a few days ago. The rescuers recovered the bodies of all 22 people on board. The victims included 16 Nepalis, four Indians, two Germans and three crew members. The plane was travelling from Pokhara to Jomsom, a major tourist destination in central Nepal. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Nepal plane crash: Nepal Army recovers all bodies, 4 Indians were on board the plane</strong></p>

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<p>Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba extended his heartfelt tribute to the deceased and expressed condolences to the families. “All 22 bodies recovered from the crash site. The black box has also been retrieved and is being brought to the base station. By today afternoon we will try to bring everything to Kathmandu,” Deo Chandralal Karna, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) told WION. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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On developing a technical glitch, a Buddha Airlines plane, which had taken off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, returned back, media reports said.

On developing a technical glitch, a Buddha Airlines plane, which had taken off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, returned back, media reports said. The aircraft was heading towards Bhadrapur on Wednesday. The aircraft of the Nepali airline had developed some issue with the plane's tyres, Nepal's MyRepublica news website reported citing the Civil Aviation Office at the airport. The plane had taken off at 10:43 am from Kathmandu and returned soon after, the report quoted a Civil Aviation official as saying. An investigation has begun in this matter, the report said. This comes as a Tara Air plane had crashed in the Mustang district of Nepal a few days ago. The rescuers recovered the bodies of all 22 people on board. The victims included 16 Nepalis, four Indians, two Germans and three crew members. The plane was travelling from Pokhara to Jomsom, a major tourist destination in central Nepal. Watch: Nepal plane crash: Nepal Army recovers all bodies, 4 Indians were on board the plane × Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba extended his heartfelt tribute to the deceased and expressed condolences to the families. “All 22 bodies recovered from the crash site. The black box has also been retrieved and is being brought to the base station. By today afternoon we will try to bring everything to Kathmandu,” Deo Chandralal Karna, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) told WION. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

After developing technical glitch, Nepali airline plane returns to Kathmandu safely

A small aircraft carrying 22 people crashed on a mountain side and rescue officials are still pulling out corpses. At least dead 21 bodies have been recovered after they went missing for about 20 hours.

Rescue ops underway after Nepal plane crashed with 22 people onboard

Rescuers have recovered all the bodies from the wreckage site of the Tara Air plane that crashed in Nepal’s mountainous Mustang district on Sunday with 22 persons on board, including four Indians.

Nepal plane crash: Nepal Army recovers all bodies, 4 Indians were on board the plane

<p>Multiple witnesses saw the plane flying over Ikeja Along, a highway in Lagos, Nigeria. A social media user submitted an unverified video of the jet with one wing missing to Twitter. What happened to the plane, which appeared to be seriously damaged, was not immediately known.</p>

<p>Witnesses stated the plane was sighted on Agege Motor Road near the bustling Ikeja Along Bus Stop.</p>

<p>The jet was unmarked, so it's unclear which airline it belongs to.</p>

<p>Some stated it had crashed, while others said it was being hauled to a repair shop near the airport.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What is a plane doing inside traffic in ikeja? 🤦🏽‍♀️ which kind country be this 🤦🏽‍♀️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shola?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shola</a> <a href="https://t.co/h187YDLPNx">pic.twitter.com/h187YDLPNx</a></p>
— 𝙴 𝙵 𝚄 𝙰🍫 (@Naomi_Swizz_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Naomi_Swizz_/status/1529188675371913217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Multiple witnesses saw the plane flying over Ikeja Along, a highway in Lagos, Nigeria. A social media user submitted an unverified video of the jet with one wing missing to Twitter.

Multiple witnesses saw the plane flying over Ikeja Along, a highway in Lagos, Nigeria. A social media user submitted an unverified video of the jet with one wing missing to Twitter. What happened to the plane, which appeared to be seriously damaged, was not immediately known. Witnesses stated the plane was sighted on Agege Motor Road near the bustling Ikeja Along Bus Stop. The jet was unmarked, so it's unclear which airline it belongs to. Some stated it had crashed, while others said it was being hauled to a repair shop near the airport. What is a plane doing inside traffic in ikeja? 🤦🏽‍♀️ which kind country be this 🤦🏽‍♀️ #shola pic.twitter.com/h187YDLPNx — 𝙴 𝙵 𝚄 𝙰🍫 (@Naomi_Swizz_) May 24, 2022 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Jet on the road: Confusion in Lagos as passenger plane is towed along highway

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