Disaster News Page 11
Syrian Army moves to crush protests
Travellers in the Middle East have been urged to flee Syria as government forces move into the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour to crush dissent. Heavy fighting was reported by state media, with armed groups using tanks and helicopters to attack anti-government protestors.
German tourism unaffected by E.coli outbreak
Officials at the German National Tourist Board have confirmed visitor numbers to the country have thus far been unaffected by the E.coli outbreak. The news comes as scientists in the country confirmed locally produced bean sprouts as the like cause of the outbreak.
Disaster narrowly averted following Air New Zealand bird strike
An Air New Zealand passenger plane has been forced to make an emergency landing in Auckland following a bird strike on its engine. Some 210 passengers were on board the aircraft during the incident, which saw the left-hand engine of the Boeing 767 burst into flames during the descent.
PATA donates ‘Tsunami Recovery Package’ to Japan
The Pacific Asia Travel Association has presented its Japan Appeal support package worth tens of thousands of dollars to the PATA Japan Chapter at ANA headquarters in Tokyo. The package comprised a one million yen cheque and extensive in-kind support to help Japan’s travel industry members attend PATA Travel Mart in New Delhi in September.
FCO warns British travellers to Germany
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has moved to warn British travellers in Germany over the dangers of E.coli. The decision comes as the virus continues to spread across Europe, with 17 lives lost to date.
Spanish town of Lorca rocked by earthquake
The Spanish town of Lorca has been hit by an earthquake with the loss of at least eight lives. Thousands of local residents spent the night out of doors in the town following the 5.2 magnitude tremor early yesterday evening.
PATA establishes Rapid Recovery Task Force
The Pacific Asia Travel Association is to establish a Rapid Recovery Task Force to address post-crisis recovery strategies in the face of natural, economic, or political upheaval across countries.
EuroAirport controller stabbed to death
Officials are investigating the death of an air traffic controller found stabbed to death at EuroAirport outside Mulhouse, France, near the Swiss and German borders. A murder investigation has been launched following the discovery, with the 34-year-old man in a pool of blood in an office at the control tower.
United Nations plane crashes in DR Congo
A plane operated by the United Nations has crashed at Kinshasa Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some 32 of 33 people on board are believed to have been killed, the UN says.
Debris from AF 447 located in Atlantic Ocean
Investigators searching for the wreckage of Air France flight AF 447 – which crashed over the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 – have located wreckage on the ocean floor. Parts of the fuselage – reported to contain corpses of some of the 228 killed – were located at depths of up to 4,000 meters below the surface by the Alucia search vessel.
Burma latest to be rocked by earthquake
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale has been recorded in Burma by the US Geological Survey. No tsunami was generated as a result of the quake, which struck along the borders with Thailand and Laos, about 70 miles from Chiang Rai.
UNWHO rules out Japan travel restrictions
The United Nations World Health Organisation (UNWHO) has ruled out recommending travel restrictions to Japan as the fallout from the recent earthquake continues. Technicians continue to battle fires at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, with new electricity cables laid today in an effort to restore power to cooling apparatus.