
Near-miss at Boston airport and in-flight assaults mark week of transport safety incidents
From a narrowly averted runway collision in the United States to a molestation conviction in Singapore, a series of events has highlighted risks in global aviation and beyond.
A Delta Air Lines flight carrying 129 passengers and six crew narrowly avoided disaster at Boston Logan International Airport on 20 June, after pilots executed an emergency climb to prevent colliding with a departing American Airlines aircraft. The same week, a Singapore court sentenced an Indian national to six months in jail for molesting a flight attendant aboard a Singapore Airlines plane, while separate in-flight disturbances on American Airlines and Ryanair flights drew police and medical responses. Away from aviation, authorities in Colombia and Malaysia dismantled migrant-smuggling networks that used boats and vehicles to move people across borders, and a woman in Buenos Aires accused a school director of assaulting her in a bar.
According to US aviation sources, the Delta flight from Dallas was cleared to land on runway 33L, which intersects runway 27, where an American Airlines Boeing 737 was preparing for take-off to Charlotte. The Delta pilots, spotting the departing jet during descent, climbed more than 600 metres and went around; the controller was unaware of the proximity until alerted by the crew. The Airbus landed safely on a second approach. No injuries were reported, and the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to review the incident.
In Singapore, court documents show that Akash Tiwari, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of molestation and one count of causing distress by threatening behaviour. On a February flight from Thailand, he brushed a stewardess’s upper thigh, later nudged her buttocks with his elbow, and smirked when she objected. He then followed her into the galley, stood extremely close, and cornered her, leaving the victim in tears and visibly shaking. The captain alerted authorities, and Tiwari was arrested upon arrival at Changi Airport. He was also ordered to pay S$1,270 in compensation. On an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Philadelphia, a passenger allegedly bit a fellow traveller and attempted to fight others; the pilot radioed for police and emergency medical teams, suggesting a possible mental health crisis. The airline confirmed a medical emergency and said a professional on board assisted. On a Ryanair service from Edinburgh to Palma de Mallorca, a couple described by a witness as “drunk as skunks” fought, and the man later punched a police officer after landing; video showed officers using a truncheon to restrain him.
Colombian prosecutors and police, with support from the US Department of Homeland Security, seized 48 properties—including a petrol station, 25 boats, a hotel, and a tourism company—from a network that smuggled Chinese, Ecuadorian, Venezuelan, and Haitian migrants from Necoclí through the Darién Gap toward the United States. Nine suspects were arrested on money-laundering and conspiracy charges. In Malaysia’s Kelantan state, the General Operations Force detained a Thai driver and nine migrants (seven Chinese, two Myanmar) in Tumpat; the driver tested positive for drugs and admitted receiving RM150 per migrant. Authorities also seized phones and a laptop suspected of links to online fraud. In Buenos Aires, a waitress alleged that a man identified as a school director grabbed her, shouted in English, and threw her down stairs after a dispute over clearing plates; she said she remains emotionally distressed. A separate paragliding video from an undisclosed location showing a pilot plucking leaves mid-flight for a passenger ignited online debate over safety, though no injuries occurred. Investigations into the smuggling networks and the Buenos Aires assault are ongoing.
How the same story is told elsewhere.
2 editorial groups · 2 languages
A viral video shows a paragliding pilot plucking leaves from a treetop mid-flight to give to his passenger, dividing the internet. Some see it as a charming gesture, others as unnecessary and risky. The story offers a light-hearted contrast to more serious incidents.
A Delta flight with 129 people nearly landed on an American Airlines jet departing from an intersecting runway in Boston. The close call exposes serious safety shortcomings in US aviation. Russian reports highlight that only a last-second go-around by the pilots prevented a disaster, pointing to systemic flaws.
Related articles
Algeria’s late double from set-pieces eliminates Jordan and sets up Austria decider
6 languages · 27 outlets
Defense & SecurityKim Jong Un Vows to ‘Overtake the World’ in Nuclear and Military Buildup
7 languages · 17 outlets
SportGiannis Antetokounmpo Traded to Miami Heat in Blockbuster Deal on Eve of NBA Draft
9 languages · 13 outlets