Travel Safety And Security News
Continental found guilty of Concorde crash
Continental Airlines and one of its mechanics has been found guilty of criminal negligence in causing the French Concorde crash that killed 113 people in 2000.
Airports to ease liquid ban
The European Commission has announced plans to relax the 100ml limit on carrying liquids, with the view to a full lifting of restrictions by 2013. The liquids ban was introduced in August 2006 after terrorists were thwarted from trying to smuggle the liquid ingredient for a bomb onto an aircraft and mixing them during the flight.
Fatal shark attack in Egypt
A 70-year-old German tourist has died in a shark attack off the coast of Sharm el-Sheikh – the latest in a series of shark attacks in the Red Sea over the past five days. A number of tour operators have cancelled all water sports and boat trips following the attacks, which have sparked a panic akin to the movie “Jaws”.
Frozen Britain – further travel disruption expected as temperatures plummet
Further travel disruption is expected across the UK as forecasters predict that temperatures will plummet even lower coupled with the possibility of more snow. Gatwick Airport has reopened after two days of closure, but passengers are warned of delays and cancellations.
Britain’s big freeze tightens its hold
The big freeze continued to bring Britain to a standstill as further snowfall overnight forced the cancellation of over 2,000 flights and hundreds of trains, the closure of two airports and chaos on the roads. Some 300 passengers were forced to spend the night attempt on a stuck train in West Sussex after heavy snow caused a series of line failures.
Snow brings travel chaos to Britain
The big freeze continues to bring the UK to a standstill today as further snowfalls overnight gridlock many rail services and roads. Gatwick and Edinburgh will remain closed after ground staff working throughout the night finally lost the battle to clear the settling snow.
Snow gridlocks the UK
Amid the coldest November for 25 years, parts of Britain have been brought to a standstill by snow and ice, with widespread disruption to airports, roads and railways. Londoners woke up to a thin dusting of snow amid reports that the “big freeze” could reach every part of the UK.
City of God - could Rio’s latest mafia war end its dream of Olympic and World Cup glory?
With hosting rights to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, Brazilian tourism has never had it so good. But this week’s gang battles in Rio have highlighted its toughest challenge – safety, and whether the city’s image of beautiful beaches and non-stop parties will be overshadowed by favela violence.
Dominican Republic combats cholera outbreak
Dominican President Leonel Fernandez said late last week that the Dominican Government has adopted strong and effective measures in order to avoid the spread of the cholera epidemic in Haiti in the Dominican Republic.
Health risk of body scanners more likely to kill than terrorist bomb
Airplane passengers are statistically as likely to be killed by full-body scanner as a terrorist’s bomb, according to a leading US scientist. Peter Rez, from Arizona State University, said the probability of dying from radiation from a body scanner and that of being killed in a terror attack are both about one in 30 million.
Ticking “bomb” found on Air Berlin flight from Namibia to Germany
A suspected bomb with a running clock has been found on an Air Berlin flight from Namibia to Germany. Namibian police intercepted the suspicious object with a detonator and a running clock found in luggage. The discovery follows yesterday’s tip-off that a planned terror attack against Germany was being planned for the end of this month.
Swamp gas blamed for Mexico tourist blast
Authorities investigating an explosion in Mexico which killed five Canadian tourists have said a build-up of gas from a nearby swamp was responsible. Two hotel workers were also killed following the explosion yesterday.