crash

Netflix documentary Freefall: A Reckoning of Boeing chronicles the deepening corporate crisis, alleged safety failures and tragic death of whistleblower John Barnett

An explosive new Netflix documentary threatens to blow the lid on alleged systemic safety failures at Boeing as well as the tragic death of whistleblower John Barnett.

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing is a sequel to the 2022 documentary film Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, which examined the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that claimed 346 lives.

This new offering, from director Rory Kennedy, takes a closer look at Barnett’s battle against Boeing and his later suicide, as well as investigating the testimony of other whistleblowers, who claim managers told them on occasion to overlook safety problems.

Following Boeing’s 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, the company was accused of being governed by Wall Street executives obsessed with profit, rather than an engineer-led organisation.

The company faced allegations of prioritising cost-cutting and outsourcing vital engineering work, and has continued to face production crises, including improperly installed wiring and unsealed door plugs that blew out mid-flight on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in January 2024.

Ahead of the documentary’s release on August 19 , we take a closer look at some of the biggest disasters in Boeing’s history.

Tenerife Airport Disaster (1977) — 583 Fatalities

On March 27, 1977, two Boeing 747 passenger jets (KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736) collided on a foggy runway at Los Rodeos Airport (now Tenerife North Airport) in the Canary Islands, Spain, resulting in 583 fatalities. Known as the ‘Tenerife Airport Disaster’, it remains the deadliest aviation accident in history.

A series of events led to the collision. Neither planes were supposed to be there; earlier that day, a bombing at Gran Canaria Airport forced planes, including the KLM flight and the Pan Am flight, to divert to the smaller airport in Tenerife.

That diversion overwhelmed the small airport, forcing pilots to taxi up and down the active runway because taxiways were blocked.

Then the thick fog came rolling in, impacting visibility. And finally, there was a fatal misunderstanding.

The Pan Am jet was taxiing on the runway but missed its intended exit. At the same time, the KLM pilots mistakenly believed they were cleared for takeoff and accelerated, crashing straight into the hidden Pan Am plane.

The impact and the resulting fire killed all 248 people on board the KLM plane and 335 of the 396 people on board the Pan Am plane, with all 61 survivors being in the front section of the aircraft.

Japan Airlines Flight 123 (1985) — 520 Fatalities

Japan Airlines Flight 123 was a domestic flight travelling from Tokyo to Osaka on the evening of 12 August 1985. But just 12 minutes after takeoff, the Boeing 747 suffered a severe structural failure and explosive decompression. After flying under minimal control for 32 minutes, the plane crashed in the area of Mount Takamagahara.

The aircraft had 524 people on board, and the initial crash killed all 15 crew members along with between 460-490 of the 509 passengers on board. An estimated 20 to 50 passengers survived the initial crash but died from their injuries while awaiting rescue, leaving only four survivors.

The crash, which claimed the lives of 520 people in total, is the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history and remains the deadliest aviation incident in Japan.

Japan’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission – assisted by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board – concluded that the structural failure was caused by a faulty repair by Boeing technicians following a tailstrike seven years earlier. A tailstrike occurs when the rear part of an aircraft’s fuselage hits the runway or ground, and usually happens during takeoff if the nose is lifted too aggressively, or during landing if the pilot raises the nose too high while trying to touch down.

When the faulty repair eventually failed, it resulted in a rapid decompression that ripped off a large portion of the tail and caused the loss of function of all hydraulic systems and flight controls.

Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision (1996) — 349 Fatalities

The catastrophic Charkhi Dadri collision occurred mid-air when Saudia Flight 763 (a Boeing 747) and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 (an Ilyushin Il-76) collided over Haryana, India.

The crash, which took place on 12 November 1996, killed all 349 people aboard both aircraft, making it the deadliest mid-air collision in aviation history.

It was found to have been caused by the flight crew of Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 failing to maintain their assigned altitude. The Kazakh Ilyushin Il-76 descended past its cleared altitude of 15,000 feet right into the path of the ascending Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763 at 14,000 feet.

This stemmed from three key factors. The Kazakh flight crew’s English was poor and inside the cockpit, only the flight engineer – not the pilots – spoke English, forcing them to rely on a radio operator for continuous Russian translation of Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions.

The Kazakh crew also exhibited confusion and poor communication during their descent, struggling to interpret the ATC’s directions as the two planes converged on intersecting flight paths.

There were also equipment limitations to contend with the Air Traffic Control radar at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport was a primary surveillance radar which meant controllers could see the planes’ distance and bearing but could not independently verify their altitudes.

Furthemore, neither aircraft was equipped with a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which would have alerted the pilots to the impending collision.

The accident led the International Civil Aviation Organization to make it mandatory for commercial aircraft to be equipped with TCAS, establish English as the universal language for aviation communication, and mandate that arrival and departure routes at busy international hubs be separated.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (2014) — 298 Fatalities

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a surface-to-air missile on 17 July 2014. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members were killed.

All contact with the aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER, was lost when it was about 50 kilometres from the Ukraine–Russia border, and wreckage from the aircraft landed near Hrabove in Ukraine, 40 km from the border.

It was said to have been shot down by Russian-backed forces. The Russian government denied involvement in the shooting down of the aircraft, but on 17 November 2022, following a trial in absentia in the Netherlands, two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist were found guilty of murdering all 298 people on board the flight. The Dutch court also ruled that Russia was in control of the separatist forces fighting in eastern Ukraine at the time.

MH17 was Malaysia Airlines’ second aircraft loss during 2014, after the disappearance of Flight 370 four months prior on 8 March. It is also the deadliest aircraft shoot-down incident to date

China Airlines Flight 611 (2002) – 225 Fatalities

China Airlines Flight 611 was travelling from Taiwan to Hong Kong International Airport when it disintegrated midair and crashed into the Taiwan Strait, just 20 minutes after takeoff. It killed all 225 people on board.

The in-flight breakup was caused by metal fatigue cracks from a tail strike at Kai Tak Airport on 7 of February 1980. The aircraft had not been properly repaired according to Boeing policies and manuals. Metal fatigue from over 22 years of service and repeated pressurization cycles caused tiny cracks that led to the aircraft’s breakup.

The crash remains the deadliest in Taiwan, and the second-deadliest accident in China Airlines history, behind China Airlines Flight 140 with 264 fatalities.

Lion Air Flight 610 (2018) – 189 Fatalities

Lion Air Flight 610 was travelling from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, to Depati Amir Airport in Indonesia on 29 October 2018, when it crashed into the sea 13 minutes after take off.

All 189 passengers – 181 passengers and eight crew – onboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8 were killed.

The Indonesian government’s search and rescue found debris and human remains soon after from a 280-kilometre-wide (150-nautical-mile) area, and the flight data recorder (FDR) was found on 1 November and recovered for analysis.

A subsequent investigation, led by the National Transportation Safety Committee, revealed that a new software function in the flight control system caused the aircraft to nose down.

That function, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), had been intentionally omitted from aircraft documentation for aircrews by Boeing, so the pilots did not know about it, and did not know what it could do.

Investigators concluded that an external device on the aircraft, the angle-of-attack (AoA) sensor, was miscalibrated due to improper maintenance which sent erroneous data to MCAS. In turn, MCAS responded by pushing the nose of the plane down.

The problem had occurred on the same aircraft during its immediately preceding flight, and the pilots had recovered using a standard checklist. But during the fatal flight, the pilots did not properly follow the checklist, with the result that MCAS remained active and repeatedly put the aircraft into an unsafe nose-down position until it crashed into the water.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing issued warnings and training advisories to all operators of the Boeing 737 MAX series. But similar issues caused the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on 10 March 2019, leading to a worldwide grounding of all 737 MAX aircraft.

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (2019) – 157 Fatalities

Just five months after the Lion Air Flight crash, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed near the town of Bishoftu on 10 March 2019. The plane went down just six minutes after takeoff, and all 149 passengers and 8 crew members on board died.

The crash was again caused by a fault in the plane’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), the flight stabilizing system developed by Boeing for the MAX 8. Due to a failure in the sensor, the aircraft’s nose was repeatedly pitched down against the pilots’ inputs, eventually leading the plane to crash.

It was the second accident involving a MAX 8, and prompted a two-year worldwide grounding of the jet and an investigation into how the aircraft was approved for passenger service.

The documentary film Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing will be released globally on Netflix on August 19, 2026

José Alberto Suárez, a Telemundo executive, died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday in Kenya.

The 55-year-old — who was president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Ft. Myers-Naples — was among the seven deceased following an aircraft incident at Mt. Ololokwe, that took place at about 9:13 AM.

The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority shared on X that the group left Loisaba to travel to Ewasonyiro on a Eurocopter, EC130 B4, operated by the charter service company Lady Lori Helicopters. Guests on board were said to be part of a luxury safari tour by travel agency andBeyond.

In a statement by NBCU News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab and Telemundo Station Group President Jose Cancela, they shared that Suárez was a “deeply respected leader” and “beloved friend and colleague.”

“The suddenness and circumstances of José’s passing make this loss especially difficult to comprehend,” read a statement to The Times. “Our hearts are with his loved ones, and with all of José’s colleagues and friends across NBCUniversal who are grieving this terrible loss.”

Over the course of his 20-plus years with NBCU Local and NBCU News Group, Suárez led stations in San Antonio, Sacramento, Fresno, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Earlier in his career — inspired by Cuban American journalist Jose Diaz-Balart — he served in programming, digital and creative leadership for Telemundo Station Group, NBC6 and Telemundo 51 in Miami.

“José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many. He cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the essential role our stations play in people’s lives,” continued the statement. “He brought energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led.”

Some of Suárez’s colleagues took to social media to pay homage to the storyteller, including Elizabeth Chavolla, a bilingual multiplatform producer for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, who uploaded a picture of the two on Instagram.

“I will always remember your kindness, professionalism, sense of humor and words of encouragement,” said Chavolla in an Instagram post. “You always knew how to make people smile, lift their spirits and remind them that everything was going to be okay.”

Brian Lozano, a news anchor for Telemundo 33 in Sacramento, wrote “part of me is leaving with him,” in a heartfelt Instagram post.

“He had his own way of being there for others, helping, accompanying and of leaving a deep imprint on every person who was lucky enough to cross his path,” Lozano wrote.

In a video tribute released by Telemundo 60 San Antonio, they describe Suárez as a meteorology fanatic who helped elevate the station into a robust weather reporting, while become a fan of Texan western wear and food.

“We appreciate you to the heavens for everything you did for the team, especially your joy, passion and journalistic commitment, but above all the lessons that you instilled as the great human that you’ve always been,” the video stated.

NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas also paid homage to the news executive at the end of his Wednesday program, describing him as a “loving and funny guy in a tough and unforgiving business.”

“José was not only a mentor to me but also a good friend,” said Llamas. “I, and we, will miss him so much but we know his legacy will live on in all those newsrooms, big and small, that he touched.”

Following the Wednesday tragedy, more clarity on who was on the aircraft has also come to light.

Among the deceased were Roger Duarte, a 42-year-old Miami restaurateur and seafood businessman, as well as pilot Josh Outram, a fourth-generation Kenyan and wildlife conservationist.

Two couples were also onboard, including Michele Sensi-Contugi, a 44-year-old Ecuadorian intelligence chief, who died alongside his wife, Stephany Hollihan, a 42-year-old Ecuadorian fashion designer. Husbands Henry Parra, a 55-year-old aviation software executive and Adam Hlavaty, a 42-year-old real estate developer, also died.

Aug. 19 (UPI) — A helicopter pilot and six passengers are dead after a crash at Mount Ololokwe in central Kenya, officials reported.

The passengers were tourists, but the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department said the nationalities of the pilot and passengers are not yet confirmed.

The accident happened in Samburu county at 9:13 a.m. local time. The helicopter was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said.

The scenic flight was from a wildlife conservancy in Loisaba to Ewaso Ng’iro, a river that flows along several national reserves.

The Kenya Red Cross said the site of the crash isn’t yet accessible but drones have assessed the scene, the BBC reported.

“Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site,” the Kenya Red Cross said on X. “An additional team has been dispatched from Isiolo to reinforce the operation.”

Kenya has a history of multiple helicopter crashes.

In March 2024, Kenya’s Chief of Defense Gen. Francis Omondi Ogolla and nine others were killed in a helicopter crash in the country. Two people survived.

In 2019, four Americans and a pilot were killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya.

In 2012, three people were killed and six were injured in a crash on takeoff at the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya.

A competitor has died following a crash involving two riders during qualifying for the Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man.

The session was red-flagged at about 18:50 BST following the incident at Cruickshanks, in Ramsey, on the opening lap of Tuesday evening’s session.

Organisers said the other competitor involved had suffered minor injuries and was being treated at the island’s main hospital, Noble’s. The riders have not been named.

The road between Ramsey Bus Station and Lheaney Road in Ramsey remained closed for more than three hours after the crash.

In a statement, organisers said: “It’s with profound sadness that the Manx Grand Prix Races confirms that one competitor sustained fatal injuries.

“In accordance with the event’s standard operating procedures, a multi-agency investigative process is now underway.

“Our thoughts are with the competitors, family and friends of those involved, who have asked for privacy at this time.”

Tuesday marked the second day of qualifying for the 2026 Manx Grand Prix (MGP) and Classic TT following the cancellation of Monday’s sessions because of rain showers.

Sunday’s opening session was cut short following a red-flag incident that saw Italian rider Salvatore Sallustro taken to hospital for treatment and a later deterioration of the weather.

Qualifying for the MGP, which runs in parallel with the Classic TT on the 37.7 mile (61km) Mountain Course, is scheduled to take place daily until Saturday, followed by racing in the two events until 28 August.

Ireland’s Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said on Monday that he condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the “reckless criminal behaviour”.

“I also want to emphasis that anyone who makes the decision to drive a vehicle deliberately the wrong way down a motorway is engaged in lethally dangerous behaviour and it must stop,” O’Callaghan said.

He said he spoke with the Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly on Monday and had emphasised to him that the gardaí “will have whatever resources they require from government in order to respond to this threat to public safety”.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said tougher laws are needed to deal with people driving in dangerous ways.

GRA’s James Morrisoe said people are playing “Russian roulette” with their own lives and lives of innocent members of the public through dangerous driving.

Martin added that it was the “second appalling crash we’ve seen on our roads in a matter of days as a result of the reckless driving of a car on the wrong side of the motorway, endangering the lives of innocent road users”.

He said it was an “irresponsible and dangerous act, and it is shocking that in some cases it is being done for likes on social media”.

O’Callaghan said it was important to emphasis that social media companies “have a big responsibility in respect of this”.

“They emphasis in their codes of practice that they will not allow any postings that glorify criminal behaviour.

“Regrettably, that hasn’t been happening and social media companies need to step up to the mark as well in respect of their own responsibilities.”

Irish broadcaster RTE is reporting, external that the family is from the Carlow area.

It adds that several of the boys who died in the crash had “strong links” to Carlow town and to Athy in County Kildare.

Aug. 14 (UPI) — The U.S. Army on Friday identified the two soldiers killed when an Apache attack helicopter from Fort Hood crashed in Texas.

The pilots were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, military officials said in a statement.

They died on Wednesday near Salado when the helicopter, an AH-64E Apache, “experienced a mishap” during a maintenance test flight.

“Our hearts and deepest condolences are with the families of the soldiers we lost Wednesday,” said Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood commanding general, in a statement.

“The Army is a family, and a tragedy like this is felt throughout our formations and our community,” Admiral added.

Huey and Olmstead were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

Huey, 34 of Killeen, Texas, enlisted in the Army in February 2014 as a motor transport operator. He had been assigned to the unit since February 2022.

Olmstead, 25 of Belton, Texas, joined the Army in January 2024 as a warrant officer candidate. He had been assigned to the unit since October 2025.

The crash of the helicopter sparked a large wildfire in the area, forcing some local residents to evacuate.

Officials said the fire covered some 155 acres.

On Thursday, a safety investigation team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama, arrived to lead the investigation into the incidents.

European shares have started August 2026 in almost the opposite way to what their seasonal reputation would suggest.

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The EURO STOXX 50 and DAX are hovering near record highs, while the CAC 40 remains close to its peak. Yet August has historically been one of Europe’s weakest months.

That contradiction raises a more interesting question than whether investors should simply “sell in August”.

The data suggests August is not consistently a bad month. Instead, its poor reputation has been shaped by a small number of extraordinary market shocks.

European markets are defy ‘August curse’

European shares have started August 2026 in almost the opposite way to what their seasonal reputation would suggest.

The EURO STOXX 50 and DAX are hovering near record highs, while the CAC 40 remains close to its peak. Yet August has historically been one of Europe’s weakest months.

That contradiction raises a more interesting question than whether investors should simply “sell in August”.

The data suggests August is not consistently a bad month. Instead, its poor reputation has been shaped by a small number of extraordinary market shocks.

Germany’s DAX, which tracks the 40 largest companies on the Frankfurt exchange, tells the same story going back to 1970.

August has averaged a loss of 1.03%. September has averaged a loss of 1.64%.

France’s CAC 40, which tracks the 40 biggest companies in Paris, has data going back to 1988. August has averaged a loss of 1.22%. September has averaged a loss of 1.38%.

Three different countries, three different stretches of history — and exactly the same ranking. September worst, August second.

Yet August 2026 has looked nothing like that.

On 11 August, the EURO STOXX 50 closed at an all-time high above 6,560 points, up roughly 13% since the start of the year. The DAX moved above 26,450 for the first time, while the CAC 40 finished around 8,740 points.

So who is right — the calendar or the market?

The short answer: the calendar has a much weaker case than it appears.

The average August is not the typical August

An average is only useful when the numbers around it are relatively similar.

Picture five people walking into a room. Four earn €30,000 a year, one earns €1 million. The average income in that room suddenly looks far higher than what most people actually take home.

August equity returns have a similar problem. A handful of extreme crashes drag the long-term average sharply lower.

That is where the median becomes useful. It is simply the middle observation once every August return is ranked from worst to best, so half the years sit below it and half above — a better guide to what a typical August actually looks like.

For the EURO STOXX 50, the median August return is -0.19%, a very different picture from the -1.42% average. The typical August has been close to flat.

Five Augusts explain the damage

Most of the damage comes from five extraordinary episodes.

In August 1998, the EURO STOXX index fell 14.44% as Russia defaulted on domestic debt and devalued the rouble.

In August 1990, it dropped 13.82% after Iraq invaded Kuwait. August 2011 brought a 13.79% fall as the eurozone debt crisis intensified around Italy and Spain. In August 1997, the index lost 9.99% as the Asian financial crisis spread across the region, and in August 2015 it fell 9.19% when China devalued the yuan.

These were not ordinary corrections. They were global shocks that happened to land in August.

Strip out those five years and the EURO STOXX 50’s average August return flips from -1.42% to +0.17%. Five years out of 39 turn a seemingly weak month into a slightly positive one.

Why can August amplify a shock?

The explanation may have less to do with the month itself than with how markets function during the summer.

Europe effectively goes on holiday in August. Trading desks thin out and fewer investors are actively setting prices. That does not cause a sell-off on its own, but it can make markets more sensitive once one begins.

There are also fewer scheduled monetary-policy decisions. The European Central Bank’s latest meeting was in July, with its next scheduled decision not due until September.

The US Federal Reserve follows a similar summer gap, leaving markets with fewer major policy events to anchor expectations at precisely the moment liquidity is thinnest.

Then there is Jackson Hole. The Federal Reserve’s annual conference in Wyoming, held later in August, can become a major market event in its own right, particularly when investors are hunting for clues on interest rates.

This year’s gathering carries extra weight: it is Kevin Warsh’s first Jackson Hole address as Fed chair.

August therefore combines three potentially volatile ingredients: thinner liquidity, fewer scheduled policy events, and the possibility of a significant central bank signal arriving late in the month.

What makes August 2026 different?

The historical pattern is only useful if investors understand what has changed.

European equities entered August at or near record highs, underpinned by strong earnings expectations. Reuters reported that analysts had raised expectations for second-quarter earnings growth across the STOXX 600 to almost 21%, up from 12.5% in May — giving markets a fundamentally stronger backdrop than the historical average would suggest.

But there is another side to the ledger. The Middle East energy shock remains a risk for Europe: higher energy prices could push inflation back up while squeezing consumers and corporate margins at the same time.

Eurozone inflation eased to 2.8% in June, down from 3.2% in May, though a fresh energy shock could complicate the path back to the European Central Bank’s 2% target.

That leaves an unusual setup heading into the rest of the month.

So should investors fear August?

The historical record does not say European stocks must fall this month. In fact, the EURO STOXX 50 and DAX have both finished August higher almost half the time.

What history does show is more subtle: August is not necessarily Europe’s seasonal crash month. It is a month in which rare shocks have historically produced unusually large losses. That distinction matters in 2026.

Investors do not need to predict whether August will end higher or lower. The more useful question is whether markets, having just reached record highs, are sufficiently prepared for an unexpected shock arriving while liquidity is thin.

That is what the August pattern is really warning about — not a calendar effect, but a vulnerability.

Three Colombian tourists from same family are among the victims of Saturday’s crash on mountainside forest of Tijuca National Park.

At least four people have been killed in a helicopter crash in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, according to a statement from the Colombian consul in the country.

Saturday’s crash involved a pilot and three Colombian women who were members of the same family.

They were reportedly on a sightseeing flight over Tijuca National Park, a densely forested, mountainous area on the edge of the city.

In the aftermath of the crash, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere called for more oversight of helicopter flights, a popular tourist activity. He even suggested such flights could be suspended “for a week or two”, as new safety measures are implemented.

“My solidarity to the families of the victims of the helicopter accident that happened today near Vista Chinesa within the Tijuca National Park,” Cavaliere said in a social media post.

He added that he had been in contact with Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, ANAC.

“City Hall has requested that ANAC take immediate action to intensify oversight and ensure safety in helicopter flights that are circulating with increasing frequency in our city,” Cavaliere explained.

“We place the entire apparatus of City Hall at the disposal of ANAC to support the measures and actions that may be necessary.”

The crash took place near Vista Chinesa, a lookout point crowned by a small bamboo pagoda. Tijuca National Park is a top destination in Rio de Janeiro, famous for its Christ the Redeemer statue and sweeping vistas of the coastal city.

Diana Paez, the Colombian consul general in Rio de Janeiro, told the news agency AFP that the three women on Saturday’s flight were part of a family that had travelled to the city to celebrate a girl’s 15th birthday.

The group of six had split up since the helicopter could only fit three people. The girl’s grandmother, aunt and cousin died in the crash.

Helicopter rides have become a popular way for tourists to see the city and its various monuments from above, a practice that has attracted growing concern over safety.

Six people were recently killed when two helicopters collided in midair over the city. That incident took place over the western suburb of Recreio dos Bandeirantes on June 14.

Utah wildfire response continues despite loss of helicopter crew, with containment standing at 24 percent.

A pilot and one crew member have been confirmed dead after their firefighting helicopter crashed while battling a massive wildfire in central Utah.

The Sikorsky S-64 ‘Skycrane’, operated by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the United States Forest Service, went down about 10am local time on Friday (16:00 GMT) near Richfield, in the Three Creeks Reservoir area southwest of the city, close to the southeastern edge of the Widemouth 2 fire.

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) confirmed the deaths on Saturday, more than 24 hours after the crash, saying the two crew members were “fatally injured” and extended its “condolences to the friends and family of the deceased”.

In a situation report, the NIFC said extreme fire conditions and steep terrain had kept rescue teams from reaching the wreckage. The bodies were recovered on Saturday, but the names of the deceased have not been released.

The NIFC has issued evacuations for residents in the area and imposed road closures.

Deputy incident commander Tyler Hecht said on Friday that crews took a “tactical pause” to regroup after the crash before resuming their firefighting work.

“It’s not going to change how we operate,” Hecht said. “We’re going to continue to fight fire and utilize aircraft to support our firefighters on the ground.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox called wildland firefighting “among the most dangerous jobs in the world” and asked residents to keep the crew “in your prayers”.

The Utah Highway Patrol organised a procession Saturday evening to escort the remains of the “fallen heroes”.

The Widemouth 2 fire ignited from a lightning strike in Fishlake National Forest on July 27 and has since burned more than 111,000 acres (45,000 hectares), putting it on pace to become Utah’s largest wildfire this year.

Officials listed containment at 24 percent on Saturday, with extreme fire behaviour – including crowning and long-range spotting – still threatening nearby communities.

This is Utah’s second fatal wildfire incident this summer. Three firefighters died in June while battling the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado border. A fourth firefighter later died from injuries sustained in the incident.

Minnie Driver’s Paris adventures went awry this week when she was involved in a car accident that she’s describing as a frightening close call.

On Thursday, the actor — who has posted a series of “Paris Update” videos for her fans over the last two months while filming the sixth season of “Emily in Paris” — updated fans with a video posted to Instagram in which she appeared in a neck brace and recounted a harrowing close call. “Paris update is that I am actually back in London,” the video began.

“I got into a really bad car accident a few days ago with my friend Ben, and we somehow walked out of it,” she said. “Well, we didn’t walk out of it. We crawled out of it, but we did get out of it alive.”

Driver said the accident wasn’t their fault, and that they were cruising down a country road in the middle of France when another vehicle failed to stop at an intersection.

“We just T-boned it,” she said. “I’m fine. I’ve got a sprained neck, and I’m really in shock and sort of cry all the time, but I’m going to heal.”

According to Deadline, production on “Emily in Paris” will continue as planned aside from one scene involving Driver that had to be rescheduled. She plans to return to her role as Princess Jane when she recovers.

“The reason that I’m not dead, honestly, is the car that we were driving,” she continued in her update, adding that 360-degree airbags in the “tiny Kia” she was riding in saved their lives. “The fact that the entire car didn’t just concertina and crush us is down to the design of that car, which is frankly astonishing.”

Driver assured her followers that the video wasn’t a car ad — “Can you imagine if that’s what I was doing?” — but the actor appeared grateful and wanted to give due credit, all with her sense of humor still intact.

“I’m a mini driver, pun intended. I need to celebrate the car that saved us, because we’ve got families and people who love us, and I am so grateful to be alive,” she said. “So, Kia, you are a baller car company.”

A piece of a SpaceX rocket which has been floating in space since last year was believed to have crashed into the moon at high speed on Wednesday.

The event, not visible to the naked eye, is expected to be confirmed by experts monitoring it with a telescope.

This event posed no danger to Earth but was also expected to create a new lunar crater, experts said.

Here’s what we know so far.

Has the rocket hit the moon yet?

It is believed to have hit the moon already, but this has not yet been confirmed as it takes time for signals to return from the moon to the Earth. The rocket segment was expected to hit the moon around 2:35am ET (06:35 GMT) on Wednesday, crashing into the surface at 5,400mph (8,690km/h).

The ⁠rocket piece is believed to have hit Einstein Crater on the moon’s western limb, which is often difficult to see from Earth.

Weighing 4 metric tonnes (4,000kg), it was expected to kick up a plume of lunar dust that would likely be illuminated by sunlight but would be difficult to spot with the naked eye from Earth.

The crash landing is unintentional, SpaceX has said.

Which rocket did this piece of space debris come from?

It comes from a SpaceX Falcon 9, which is a reusable model and has been used for several space missions.

It is made of two parts: upper and lower. The lower part can detach from the upper part and return to Earth. It is the upper part of the rocket which likely crashed into the moon.

Is this dangerous for the Earth?

“There is no danger to Earth,” NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell said in a statement on Tuesday.

“NASA will continue to track the booster for training purposes, as well as later observe the impact site for scientific purposes.”

What was the Falcon 9 doing near the moon?

The Falcon 9 rocket took off last January from Florida, United States, carrying two lunar landers. The booster returned to Earth, but the upper segment remained in space to push the landers onwards.

After pushing the lunar landers onwards, the upper segment of the rocket typically falls back into Earth’s atmosphere and burns up or plunges into the ocean.

But, because the January lunar lander mission required more thrust than missions closer to Earth, the rocket’s second stage remained in space, floating aimlessly among thousands of other pieces of space junk that active satellites have to steer clear of as a matter of course.

According to the United Kingdom’s Natural History Museum, humans have launched thousands of objects into space since the 1950s. “When these spacecraft, rockets, and satellites stop working or break apart, they stay in orbit instead of falling back down right away,” it says.

Why was this rocket section heading to the moon?

It was not until earlier this year that astronomers determined that the rocket section, which had dumped its remaining fuel and could no longer be controlled, was on an orbital trajectory which would end at the moon.

Generally, for such “high-energy missions”, SpaceX performs a manoeuvre to make sure the second stage “is safe per the appropriate rules and regulations”, said Julianna Scheiman, director of NASA science missions at SpaceX, at a Monday news conference.

“We did that,” she continued, but “what has happened is essentially a mixture of solar activity and gravity forces have put it on a path towards the moon”.

Does it matter if part of a rocket crashes into the moon?

This collision raises concerns about human-made debris in space generally. The rocket section was just one of many pieces of “space junk” already orbiting Earth.

There are more than 46,000 pieces of space debris weighing a total of 17,000 tonnes currently in orbit, the European Space Agency reported in late July.

“The environmental impacts that we’re most concerned about include climate and the ozone hole,” Eloise Marais, atmospheric chemist in the geography department at University College London, told Al Jazeera last year.

“Depletion of the protective ozone layer results from chemicals released by rockets during launch that can undergo reactions that deplete ozone,” Marais added, explaining that air pollutants such as particles of soot, which can absorb sunlight and warm the atmosphere, are released during rocket launches.

NASA and SpaceX are discussing ways to prevent future lunar impacts, NASA’s Scheiman said. The US space agency plans to build a lunar base and send routine astronaut missions to the lunar surface beginning later this decade under its multibillion-dollar Artemis programme. It would not want errant pieces of space junk impacting those assets.

How common is it for space objects to crash into the moon?

Not very. The moon routinely weathers impacts from space debris, including meteoroids. Collisions with artificial objects are less common.

A Chinese rocket segment crashed into the moon in March 2022 after completing a lunar test mission.

In 2009, NASA intentionally crashed a rocket segment into the moon to study the plume of lunar material kicked up by the impact.

In the 1970s, NASA also intentionally crashed stages ⁠from its Saturn V moon rocket into the moon to study the impact’s seismic effects.

Several spacecraft intending to land softly on the moon in recent years have crashed instead.

• Russia’s nuclear-powered Luna-25 mission spun out of control and crashed ⁠in 2023. Its small power source of plutonium-238 likely remains harmlessly on the lunar surface.
• India’s Chandrayaan-2 lander mission crashed in 2019.
• Israel’s Beresheet lander crashed that same year. Among the Israeli lander’s payloads were tiny tardigrades, microscopic animals known for surviving radiation and other harsh environments and which may still be on the surface.

What are observers expecting to see?

Like many scientists, Scheiman said, “I also am very excited to see the observation.”

“This may be of some – probably minor – scientific interest, and we may learn some things from it,” said Bill Gray, creator of widely used astronomy software who published a report on the stage’s impact in April.

“It doesn’t present any danger to anyone, though it does highlight a certain carelessness about how leftover space hardware [junk] is disposed of.”

NASA hopes to soon establish a sustained human presence on the Moon, making it critical to better understand space debris in lunar orbit.

Aug. 2 (UPI) — U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur was hospitalized on Sunday after being struck in a hit-and-run accident in Ohio, her office said.

Kaptur, D-Ohio, was on her way to church, riding as a passenger, when the car was hit shortly before 11 a.m.

“She is active, alert, and being treated for non-life threatening injuries,” the statement from her office said. “We look forward to additional information from Toledo Police as they investigate the accident.”

One witness told WTOL 11 the other driver was picked up by a third vehicle and fled the scene.

“Toledo Police Accident Investigators have responded to the scene, and the investigation remains active and ongoing,” Toledo police said in a statement obtained by CBS News.

Kaptur, 80, is the longest-serving woman in congressional history, having first been elected to her seat in 1982.

Footage shows firefighters dousing the wreckage of a crashed tourist aircraft in southern Peru. Police said the plane was carrying 13 people when it went down while flying over the ancient archeological site of Nazca Lines.

At least 25 people have been killed and dozens others injured in a bus crash in Algeria. The bus plunged into a ravine in the coastal town of Bourmedes, about 50 kilometres from the capital Algiers.

Actor Kaylee Hottle, best known for her portrayal of a young deaf orphan who shares a special bond with the giant guardian ape in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” has died. She was 18.

Hottle died Tuesday morning after the car she was a passenger in crashed into a culvert off the side of the road in Ijamsville, Md., the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death in a video on Facebook.

“I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,” he wrote in the caption of the video post, in which he explained the situation in American Sign Language. He was on his way from Texas to claim her body, according to TMZ.

The Texas School for the Deaf also addressed the actor’s death on social media.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland,” read the Instagram post. “Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.”

Hottle’s breakout role was in the 2021 MonsterVerse crossover “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which marked her big-screen debut as the young orphan Jia. Jia is the last remaining survivor of the Iwi tribe on Skull Island who shares a connection with Kong, the island’s protector. Her adoptive parent, Dr. Ilene Andrews, is a linguistics expert and Kong researcher, played by Rebecca Hall. Hottle reprised the role in the 2024 follow-up, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”

“After I watched the movie, I thought, ‘Wow, this is going to make such a big impact,’” Hottle said in a 2024 interview with New York’s WABC. “I was so excited. She’s a young deaf girl, just like many others out there. And this journey that she’s going on is just going to be so amazing.”

The actor, who was born in Atlanta, was from an all-deaf family, which included four generations of deaf relatives on her father’s side, according to IMDb.

Authorities said Hottle was one of two passengers in the 1995 Honda Accord that was involved in the crash. While the incident is still being investigated, the Sheriff’s Office said in its news release that “excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision.”

Millie Bobby Brown, who also appeared in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” was among those who shared tributes to Hottle following the news of her death.

“I’m so devastated to hear this,” she wrote in her Instagram story, which included a black-and-white photo of Hottle as Jia. “You will be deeply missed Kaylee.”

“I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle,” Oscar winner Marlee Matlin wrote on Instagram. “May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity. … Such a privilege to have met Kaylee last year. Please be kind to one another. Take the time to listen to your child. Say 🤟🏼 each time you part. 🩵”

GODZILLA vs Kong star Kaylee Hottle has died at the age of 18, following a fatal car crash in Maryland.

The young actress, who won hearts worldwide as Jia in the hit Hollywood monster franchise, passed away following the collision.

Here is everything we know so far about her death, her life, and the tributes pouring in.

Who was Kaylee Hottle?

Kaylee Hottle was a young American actress best known for her breakout role as Jia in the Legendary Pictures MonsterVerse film series.

Born in 2007 into an all-deaf family, Kaylee grew up natively fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).

Her path to Hollywood stardom began in 2017 when she starred in a commercial for the video relay service provider Convo.

Read more on Kayle Hottle

SHOCKING LOSS

Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle dead at 18 after tragic car crash

Her major break arrived when acclaimed casting director Sarah Halley Finn was seeking a deaf actress to play Jia – a young Iwi girl with a unique bond with King Kong – in the 2021 blockbuster Godzilla vs Kong.

Guided to Kaylee by an assistant director who remembered her performance in the Convo commercial, the film team knew she was perfect for the role.

The movie became a massive global hit, launching Kaylee into the international spotlight.

She reprised her role as Jia in the 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Her performance in the film earned her a nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor at the 52nd Saturn Awards.

Outside of her film work, Kaylee was a senior student at the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) in Austin, Texas.

What was the cause of her death?

Kaylee Hottle reportedly died following a serious car crash in Frederick, Maryland.

Local law enforcement sources confirmed to The U.S. Sun that officers were called to the scene of a fatal crash involving the teenage star, where emergency personnel remained on site.

Her father, Joshua Hottle, first revealed the news of her death during an emotional 23-minute livestream on Facebook.

In the video, presented in American Sign Language (ASL), Joshua shared that he was forced to board an urgent flight to Maryland after receiving a call from officials informing him of the tragic accident.

He explained that authorities notified him that Kaylee’s heart had stopped while she was being transported to the hospital in an ambulance.

Captioning the live broadcast, he wrote: “I am taking a flight that I never would like to take.”

Exact details regarding the cause of the collision, the vehicle involved, or whether anyone else was injured remain unconfirmed as emergency services continue their investigation.

Her former school released a statement noting that official information remains “very limited” and urged the public to refrain from speculating on the circumstances while inquiries continue.

Who has paid tribute?

Tributes have poured in from across the deaf community and film industry following news of the young star’s death.

Kaylee’s school released a statement mourning the loss of their student.

It said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.

“Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.”

The school added that counseling and support services have been made available for students and staff as they process the loss.

Her father’s livestream received a flood of condolences from friends, family, and members of the deaf community, while fans worldwide have taken to social media to honor Kaylee’s screen representation and express sympathy for her family.

July 17 (UPI) — The husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was charged Friday for allegedly striking a parked vehicle and fleeing the scene in Napa County, Calif., early July.

Paul Pelosi, 86, was charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run and making an unlawful turn, Napa County officials said.

Officials said Pelosi struck an unoccupied, parked Tesla in Yountville on July 3, causing “significant damage.”

“Pelosi admitted to hitting something, but said he did not know what he had hit, so he kept driving,” a statement from the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said at the time. “He drove until his car became disabled and was no longer able to continue driving.”

Pelosi was not suspected of driving under the influence.

“Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle,” a Pelosi family spokesperson told NBC News. “Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.”

In 2022, Pelosi pleaded guilty to a DUI charge and was sentenced to five days in jail and three years probation.

In the past decade, he has had at least eight driving violations in California, including speeding, running a red light and driving the wrong way down a one-way street, the New York Times reported.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Musicians and a DJ are among the dead in a plane crash in the Bahamas that killed 10, the Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union said Saturday.

The crash Friday prompted the government to temporarily ground Flamingo Air flights. It happened in North Andros, in waters just west of Nassau, the archipelago’s capital.

“Among the dearly departed are some of the talented and vibrant members of our entertainment community, including members of The Pond Band and a DJ,” the union said in a statement on X.

Their “passion, dedication, and artistry touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas,” the union added.

The plane had departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau and was headed to San Andros when it crashed, according to the Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority.

The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation said in a statement that the suspension of Flamingo Air’s air operator certificate was a precautionary safety measure as officials investigate the cause of the crash. The ministry said the suspension is a result of two safety incidents that happened Friday.

During a news conference, Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said the first incident Friday involved another Flamingo Air plane. She said it was en route to Mayaguana when the pilot reported a concern and turned back to Nassau. After the plane landed and the passengers deboarded, the plane caught fire, she said. That incident also is under investigation.

AN influencer has died after her BMW flipped and slammed into a tree in a horror crash.

Ayzia J, 22, was killed in the deadly collision in New Jersey alongside her friend.

Her friend Henrietta Carter, 22, was riding in the front passenger seat at the time of the crash and was killed.

A third person, who had been in the back of the car, survived the deadly collision with minor injuries.

The car left the road, then overturned and smashed into a tree, according to New Jersey State Police.

Police have launched an investigation into the deadly crash.

Ayzia’s family have launched a fundraising appeal to help them cover funeral costs.

The influencer has more than 300,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

A woman died in a brutal plane crash that killed over 100 people after “missing her original plane”. After a sudden flight change, everything altered in an instant

A woman missed her flight and, due to a drastic turn of events, ended up dying with dozens of people in a brutal plane crash. It’s reported the simple act of being late dramatically changed the course of her life, and she ended up plummeting to her death.

The woman’s story was recently highlighted on Reddit when a family member shared the travel tragedy in a heartfelt post, and people can’t believe what happened. A simple change in her schedule led to altering her path completely, and the devastating story has left so many people in total sadness and shock.

It’s not the first tale of its kind to be shared either. Previously, a woman opened up about what is was like when her husband died in a plane crash that killed over 200 people.

The story emerged after someone asked: “We’ve heard stories of people escaping death by being late. What are some tragic examples of people dying because they were late?”

To this, one person replied: “My aunt missed her flight out of Denver on July, 19 1989. She took United flight 232 instead, dying in a fiery crash in Sioux City, IA.”

To this, one person replied: “I am so sorry for your loss. That is a brutal way for things to happen.”

Another added: “I actually had a ticket on that flight when I was a kid, but I had gotten pretty sick the day before we had to leave, and my parents decided to cancel the tickets to Chicago. What is crazy is that we did an analysis of the emergency response to this crash when I was in college.

“It is a small world. I am sorry for the loss of your aunt.”

A third also replied: “My dad was on that flight. He fortunately survived and flew home to Chicago later that night and was at work first thing the next day.”

One more also noted: “I was supposed to be on that plane! Travel plans changed but, had they not, I would have been flying home on this flight.”

For those unaware, the United Airlines Flight 232 was a regularly scheduled flight from Stapleton International Airport in Denver to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, going on to Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, United States.

However, on July 19, 1989, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 serving the flight crash-landed at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa. This was due to suffering what has been described as a catastrophic failure of its tail-mounted engine.

It’s reported this led to the loss of all flight controls. Over 100 people died in the crash but the majority are reported to have survived.

The incident was said to be deemed “unprecedented” at the time and, though many people sadly lost their lives, the team onboard worked with professional calmness and extreme skill to pull off something some would have believed “impossible” to land the aircraft.

In fact, it has since been termed “The Impossible Landing“, as it’s often considered one of the most impressive landings carried out in the history of aviation.

U.S. News // 16 hours ago

Nancy Pelosi’s husband likely to face charge after California crash

July 4 (UPI) — Paul Pelosi, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, is expected to face charges after he hit a parked car in Napa County, Calif., on Saturday.