Tag: Police (Page 2 of 2)

Eastern Congo Plane Crash Kills at Least 27 People

November 24, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – At least 27 people were killed, including some on the ground, when a small plane crashed into a densely populated neighborhood in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, a rescue official said.

The propeller plane, which was operated by local company Busy Bee, crashed shortly after take-off en route to the city of Beni, about 250 km (155 miles) to the north, officials said.

The company said the 19-seater Dornier 228-200 had 16 passengers and two crew members on board.

There was no word yet on what might have caused the accident.

Joseph Makundi, the coordinator of rescue services in Goma, told Reuters that 27 bodies had been recovered from the rubble, including those of several people hit by falling debris.

“I was at a restaurant with my family when I saw the plane spinning three times in the air and emitting a lot of smoke,” said Djemo Medar, an eyewitness in Goma’s Mapendo neighborhood. “After that we saw the plane crash into this house,” he said pointing to a nearby building.

“We know the pilot. His name is Didier. He was shouting, ‘Help me, Help me.’ But we had no way to get to him because the fire was so powerful,” Medar said.

At the crash site, residents threw water from buckets and cooking pots onto the smoldering wreckage. The rear section of the plane rested sideways, propped up by a wall, videos posted on social media showed.

Police arrested one man for stealing cash from the rubble and fired warning shots to disperse people who had started looting, he said.

Air accidents are relatively frequent in Congo because of lax safety standards and poor maintenance. All Congolese commercial carriers, including Busy Bee, are banned from operating in the European Union.

A cargo plane departing from the same airport and carrying staff members of President Felix Tshisekedi crashed an hour after take-off last month, killing all eight people on board..

Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Aaron Ross/Mark Potter/ Frances Kerry/Jane Merriman

Two ATR’s Heading for Aeroscopia

September 10, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Two ATRs to be part of the permanent exhibition as early as 2020

A spectacular operation took place from the 26 – 30 August, centred around Aeroscopia: five aircraft were delivered in convoy to the aeronautical museum, where they will be on public display as of next year. Those five aircraft included the third ATR to come off our assembly lines, an ATR 42, and our penultimate prototype, an ATR 72, offered to the museum run by Toulouse Métropole.

Dozens of people, officers from the gendarmerie and police officers, employees of Blagnac city council and Manatour – the firm that operates Aeroscopia – plus staff from Airbus and ATR, worked as a team for five days to carry out this mission successfully: a unique task on an unprecedented scale. All roads around the museum had to be closed for an entire working week, but even more overwhelmingly, one of the five aircraft was an A380, requiring a military-style preparation of the route and the utmost precision on the big day.

The operation was a resounding success. Put the date in your diaries: in 2020, the entire ATR family will be among the treasure trove of aeronautical masterpieces on display at Aeroscopia!

Airbus Delivers 1,000th Super Puma Helicopter

September 8, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus’ 1,000th Super Puma helicopter – A civil H215 to be operated by the German Federal Police

Marignane – Airbus Helicopters has delivered its 1,000th Super Puma helicopter: a twin-engine multi-role H215 assembled in Marignane, France, and handed over to the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) to support the German Havarie Command, which manages maritime emergencies off of Germany’s coast.

This delivery completes the German Federal Police’s order for four H215s, the first three of which were delivered in December 2018, and increases the German Federal Police’s Super Puma fleet to 23, including 19 AS332 L1s, making the police force one of the largest operators of Super Pumas in the world today.

“The Super Puma family of civil and military helicopters has consistently performed well thanks to its ability to appeal to many different mission segments, whether you’re fighting fires, building power lines, transporting troops, or saving lives in extreme environments,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Thanks to our close partnerships with long-standing customers like the German Federal Police, who we are honoured will operate our 1000th Super Puma, we are able to continuously improve so that this important product continues to meet the evolving market needs for decades to come.”

Today, the Super Puma is operated by nearly 100 customers in 59 countries representing all regions of the world. The Super Puma family is composed of the H215 and H225 for the civil market, produced by Airbus Helicopters for law enforcement, aerial work, search and rescue, offshore transport and governmental missions, and appreciated for their versatility and ability to operate in extreme environmental conditions. In the military sector, Airbus Helicopters offers the H215M and H225M for search and rescue, troop transport, special ops and utility missions, among others.

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018, it generated revenues of €64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Germany to Equip New Coastal Patrol Vessels with BAE Systems’ 57mm Guns

September 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

BAE Systems has been selected by the vessel contractor to provide the German federal police force, Bundespolizei, with three 57mm naval guns for its three new 86m Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) built by Fassmer shipyard.

The gun systems, known as the Bofors 57 Mk3, will support the maritime arm of the Bundespolizei that monitors the country’s North Sea and Baltic coastlines. The 57 Mk3 is a flexible, highly versatile gun system designed to react quickly for close-to-shore operations.

“The Bofors 57 Mk3 is a versatile naval gun with firepower and range that exceeds expectations when compared with similar, medium calibre naval gun systems. That’s how our 57 millimeter system has earned its reputation as the deck gun of choice for ships operating in coastal environments,” said Ulf Einefors, director of marketing and sales for BAE Systems’ weapons business in Sweden. “This contract expands the number of European nations deploying the 57 Mk3 and reflects the growing interest we’re seeing in the region, where we look forward to supporting new opportunities in the near future.”

The 57 Mk3 naval gun is also in use with the allied navies and coast guards of eight nations, including Canada, Finland, Mexico, and Sweden, as well as the United States, where it is known as the Mk110 naval gun.

This contract also includes accompanying fire control systems as well as systems integration support. Work is expected to begin immediately and will be performed at the BAE Systems facility in Karlskoga, Sweden. The first unit is scheduled for delivery in 2020.

Norwegian Helicopter Crash Kills All Six On Board

September 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

All six people on board an Airbus H125 (AS350B3e) civilian helicopter that crashed in northern Norway on Saturday afternoon have died, the police reported on Sunday. According to reports, the helicopter was operated by the Norwegian company Helitrans. There were five passengers from Norway, all in their early twenties, plus a Swedish pilot. One survivor found at the crash site southwest of Alta later passed away at the hospital.

The crash occurred in Skoddevarre, near Alta, Finnmark. The helicopter was operating local sightseeing flights during the “Høstsprell” local music festival.

Click the link for all the details on the Aviation Safety Network website! https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/228643

Ford to Upgrade Chicago Plant for SUV’s, Add 450 Workers

July 22, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co said on Monday it would invest $50 million upgrading a Chicago facility to partially assemble hybrid electric SUVs and vehicles for police use, creating 450 jobs.

The plant currently modifies vehicles for police use. That work will be transferred to a nearby facility.

After retooling, the new production line will later this year start partially assembling hybrid versions of the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle and the luxury Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring SUV.

It will also partially assemble the Police Interceptor SUV.

On Friday, Ford said it would lay off about 200 workers in September at a Canadian manufacturing plant in Oakville, Ontario, with more layoffs possible in January, because of slowing sales of the sedans that the plant manufactures.

Overall, U.S. new vehicle sales are expected to fall this year, although pickup trucks and SUVs remain more popular than traditional passenger cars.

Last week, Ford also kicked off talks on a new four-year contract with the United Auto Workers union, with job security, healthcare costs and the use of temporary workers expected to be major sticking points.

(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Seven South Koreans Dead in Danube River Boat Disaster

May 31, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungarian rescue officials said there was little chance of finding survivors after a boat with South Korean tourists on board sank on the Danube River in Budapest, with seven people confirmed dead and 21 missing.

The boat was cruising when it collided with a larger luxury passenger boat during a rainstorm on Wednesday evening, causing it to capsize and sink with 33 South Korean tourists and tour guides and two Hungarian crew aboard.

“I wouldn’t say there is no hope, rather that there is a minimal chance (of finding survivors),” Pal Gyorfi, a spokesman for the Hungarian national ambulance service, told the M1 state broadcaster.

“This is not just because of the water temperature, but (also) the strong currents in the river, the vapor above the water surface, as well as the clothes worn by the people who fell in,” he added.

Police said the smaller boat turned on its side and sank within seconds of the collision under a bridge near Hungary’s parliament building.

They said a criminal investigation was under way to determine the cause of the accident. Police declined to say if the bigger vessel, the 135-meter (443 ft) Viking Sigyn, put out any signals for help.

Police said its investigation yielded evidence that raised personal responsibility, so it questioned the Viking Sigyn captain, a 64-year-old Ukrainian, as a suspect, and later moved to take him into custody for reckless misconduct in waterborne traffic leading to mass casualties.

Police said it initiated the formal arrest of the captain, identified as C. Yuriy from Odessa.

Officials said the hull of the Mermaid, a 27-meter (89-ft) double-decker river cruise boat, had been found on the riverbed a few hundred meters from its usual mooring point.

A crane ship docked near the wreck on Thursday in preparation for recovery operations and divers prepared equipment. Police said the rescue efforts were hampered by high water levels, strong currents and bad visibility.

“Those who were trapped in the hull or were stuck underneath can be lifted only once the wreckage is pulled out,” a police statement said.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered his condolences to Seoul. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the authorities would work with the Hungarian government to investigate the cause of the accident.

“What’s most important is speed,” Moon said in Seoul.

Some South Korean relatives of those on board started to depart for Hungary. Several family members were seen at Incheon International Airport in Seoul on Thursday night.

South Korean rescue teams and officials including South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also left for Budapest on Thursday. She will hold a news conference with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at 0730 GMT on Friday.

Reporting by Gergely Szakacs, Marton Dunai and Krisztina Than; Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Joyce Lee, Do Gyun Kim and Minwoo Park in SEOUL; Editing by Jon Boyle, Ros Russell and Richard Chang

Macau Police Investigate Suspected Murder at Sands Casino

February 18, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

HONG KONG, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Police in the world’s biggest gambling hub of Macau are investigating what they suspect is a rare murder in a five-star casino resort after a Chinese man was found stabbed in his bed, broadcaster TDM reported on Monday.

Murder cases have been rare in the Chinese territory since Portugal ceded control of what had been a colonial backwater on the heel of China’s southern coast 20 years ago.

The suspected murder took place in Sands China’s Conrad Macau hotel, TDM reported, citing police. It comes as slower mainland growth, a weaker yuan and a simmering trade war with the United States threaten to derail Macau’s growth.

The 41-year-old victim, an active gambler from the mainland, had been stabbed. The case was being investigated and no further details were available, TDM said.

Macau police and Sands China did not respond to requests for comment. The company is controlled by U.S. billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands.

Macau is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal. Casino revenues shrank in January for the first time in more than two years.

Violent crime in Macau has often been linked to its junket operators – the middlemen who bring China’s wealthiest to the gambling tables. Slower growth and tighter regulations have made it hard for many small junket companies to stay in business.

Criminal gangs known as triads, which are known to operate in Macau, are typically involved in extortion, money laundering, murder and prostitution.

(Reporting by Farah Master Editing by Robert Birsel)

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