- After Helene's destruction, North Carolina starts to rebuild
- Dockers end three-day strike at Montreal port
- What next for OpenAI after $157 billion bonanza?
- Israel-Hamas war causes 86-percent dive in Gaza GDP: IMF
- Milan's Morata moves house after Inter-fan town mayor 'violates' privacy
- 'Devastating' storm hits Augusta National but Masters will go on
- Relief in Brazil, Asia over delay to EU deforestation rules
- Oil prices jump, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Biden says 'discussing' possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities
- Oil prices rise, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Oil rallies, stocks mostly retreat on Middle East tensions
- Phasing out teen smoking could save 1.2 mn lives: study
- 'Welcome relief': Asia producers hail EU deforestation law delay
- Japan PM slated to announce plans for 'happiness index'
- Turkish inflation falls less than expected in September at 49.4%
- Easing inflation lifts profit at UK supermarket Tesco
- Skiing calls on UN climate science to combat melting future
- China wine industry looks to breed climate resilience
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong drops after surge
- Dutch airline KLM unveils 'firm' cost-cutting measures
- Carpe diem: the Costa Rican women turning fish into fashion
- Senegal looks to aquaculture as fish stocks dwindle
- Will AI one day win a Nobel Prize?
- Climate change, economics muddy West's drive to curb Chinese EVs
- Argentina's Milei vetoes university budget after huge protests
- TotalEnergies plans to grow oil and gas production until 2030
- 2024 Nobels offer glimmer of hope as global crises mount
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong reverses after surge
- Tunisia readies for vote as incumbent Saied eyes victory
- High childcare costs in US weigh on women's employment
- US voters seek help with crushing childcare costs
- Taiwan shuts down for second day as Typhoon Krathon to land
- Supercharged storms: how climate change amplifies cyclones
- Biden official urges talks as US port strike enters second day
- Huge protests in Argentina over public university cuts
- Rally in oil prices loses steam on mixed day for global stocks
- South America treated to rare 'ring of fire' eclipse
- Biden official says port strike deal not as far as parties think
- Mexico's new president offers apology for 1968 student massacre
- Historic funding round values OpenAI at $157 billion
- Mixed US car sales in Q3 as industry hopes for post-election bounce
- Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find
- Scientists unlock secret of 'Girl With Pearl Earring'
- Dolphins flash friendly grins when they're ready to play
- Facing backlash, EU moves to delay deforestation rules
- US private sector adds more jobs than expected in September: ADP
- Boys out of critical condition after Zurich stabbings
- Spain logs record summer tourism as inflow draws protests
- Hedi Slimane quits as Celine's artistic director
- Oil prices extend rally on Iran attack
RBGPF | -1.35% | 59.99 | $ | |
BCC | -0.9% | 138.29 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.16% | 24.74 | $ | |
SCS | -1.98% | 12.62 | $ | |
NGG | -2.7% | 66.97 | $ | |
RIO | -1.42% | 69.83 | $ | |
BTI | -2.45% | 35.11 | $ | |
AZN | -2.12% | 77.93 | $ | |
GSK | -2.81% | 38.37 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.16% | 24.89 | $ | |
JRI | -0.6% | 13.3 | $ | |
RYCEF | 1.15% | 6.98 | $ | |
BCE | -1.77% | 33.84 | $ | |
RELX | -1.46% | 46.61 | $ | |
VOD | -0.52% | 9.69 | $ | |
BP | 0.28% | 32.46 | $ |
All eight crew killed in cargo plane crash in Greece
All eight crew members of a cargo plane that crashed near the Greek city of Kavala died in the accident, Serbia's defence minister said on Sunday.
The Ukrainian-operated Antonov An-12 was carrying mines and around 11 tonnes of weapons to Bangladesh when it crashed on Saturday night, minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said.
Videos shared by eyewitnesses on social media showed the plane engulfed by a giant fireball as it hit the ground.
"I think the crew were Ukrainian but I don't have any information about that. They were not Serbian," Stefanovic told a news conference.
The plane had taken off from Nis airport in Serbia at around 8:40 pm (1840 GMT) on Saturday, carrying weapons owned by private Serbian company Valir, he said.
Greek media said it had requested clearance to make an emergency landing at Kavala airport but had not managed to reach it.
Greek rescue services were using a drone on Sunday to monitor the wreckage of the aircraft as fears about the toxicity of the cargo were forcing them to keep at a distance.
State-run TV said the army, explosives experts and Greek Atomic Energy Commission staff would approach the crash site once it was deemed safe.
"Men from the fire service with special equipment and measuring instruments approached the point of impact of the aircraft and had a close look at the fuselage and other parts scattered in the fields," fire brigade official Marios Apostolidis told reporters.
Search teams would go in when the area is deemed secure, he added.
A 13-strong special team from the fire brigade, 26 firemen and seven fire engines were deployed to the area but could not yet approach the crash site, local officials said.
Video footage from a local channel showed signs of impact on a field and the aircraft in pieces scattered over a wide area.
Eyewitnesses said they saw the aircraft on fire and heard explosions.
- Toxic fumes -
Filippos Anastasiadis, mayor of the nearby town of Paggaio, told Open TV the aircraft had crashed "around two kilometres away from an inhabited area".
People living within that two-kilometre (1.2-mile) radius of the crash site were asked to stay inside their homes and wear face masks on Saturday night.
Two firemen were taken to hospital early on Sunday with breathing difficulties because of toxic fumes.
A local man, Giorgos Archontopoulos, told state broadcaster ERT television he had felt something was wrong as soon as he heard the aircraft's engine.
"At 2245 (1945 GMT) I was surprised by the sound of the engine of the aircraft," he said. "I went outside and saw the engine on fire."
The Ukrainian consul in Thessaloniki, Vadim Sabluk, visited the area on Sunday.
Athens News Agency said he had given the authorities the identities of the eight crew members and said the plane had been flying to Bangladesh.
The Serbian defence minister said the weapons shipment had been agreed with the Bangldeshi defence ministry "in accordance with international rules".
"Unfortunately some media have speculated that that the plane was carrying weapons destined for Ukraine but that is completely untrue," he said.
L.K.Baumgartner--CPN