Headline

Tragedy Averted As Cargo Plane Makes Emergency Landing Shortly After Takeoff

Published

2 years ago

January 19, 2024

An Atlas Air Boeing 747 cargo plane made an emergency return to Miami International Airport following an engine problem shortly after takeoff, the airline said — prompting another investigation into the aviation giant.

The plane, which was headed to Puerto Rico, landed safely late Thursday “after experiencing an engine malfunction soon after departure,” an Atlas Air spokesperson told AFP in a statement. No injuries were reported.

“The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA,” the spokesperson said, adding that the airline would investigate the cause of the incident.

A post-flight inspection revealed a softball-size hole above the second engine, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a notice.

The National Transportation Safety Board told AFP that it has opened an investigation into the case.

Boeing said in a separate statement that it is supporting its customers and will aid with the NTSB review.

The plane uses four engines made by GE Aerospace, which is also providing technical assistance as investigations proceed.

Atlas Air, which started operations in 1992, said on its website that it runs the world’s biggest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter aircraft.

Heightened scrutiny

US aviation giant Boeing is under intense global scrutiny over its 737 MAX 9 jet, following a scare on an Alaska Airlines plane this month when a panel came off mid-flight and forced an emergency landing.

There were no fatalities or serious injuries in that case either, but US regulators grounded 171 MAX 9 planes with the same configuration as the jet involved in the incident.

Boeing shares took a hit earlier in the month, with the FAA launching a safety probe into the January 5 Alaska Airlines incident too.

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The FAA said this week that its probe would extend to Boeing’s manufacturing practices and production lines.

This was the first major in-flight safety issue on a Boeing plane since two fatal 737 MAX crashes, one in 2018 and one in 2019, led to a nearly two-year grounding of the aircraft.

Several incidents involving Boeing planes have since garnered attention, with an All Nippon Airways flight reportedly having to turn back on Saturday after a crack was found on the cockpit window of the Boeing 737-800.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was forced to delay his return from Switzerland due to what a US official called a “critical failure” of his airplane, also a Boeing.

A separate plane was sent to retrieve Blinken, with aides returning to Washington by commercial flight.

While US air safety regulators have completed inspections on 40 grounded 737 MAX planes, they have not specified when the aircraft would be cleared to return to service.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.