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IndiGo airline under safety audit by India’s civil aviation regulator

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India’s civil aviation regulator will conduct a special safety audit of the low-cost carrier IndiGo following concerns about the snag-ridden Pratt and Whitney (P&W) engines, which power the airline’s A320 Neo aircraft.

While an annual audit of IndiGo was due in April, a special Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) review will also be done of the airline’s operations and engineering departments.

“We confirm that there is currently a DGCA audit of IndiGo, which is combined with the annual main base audit. IndiGo has received a limited number of show-cause notices. IndiGo has responded accordingly and we can only comment on this matter after we have a discussion with the DGCA,” the airline said in a statement.

An airline source, however, dismissed reports that show-cause notices had been served on two senior officials of the airline.

Indian carriers IndiGo and GoAir have been inducting the P&W engine-powered A320 Neo aircraft since 2016. The former has 72 of these planes and the latter has 30.

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Problems in engine

There have been problems in different parts of the engine, including the combustion chamber, knife edge seal, lift-off seal, front hub corrosion and heating of oil near lift-off seal leading to smoke on board a flight, apart from vibration during climb.

The engine-maker maintains that the problems are taking place as the engines are new into operations.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Notre Dame cathedral inferno: Paris iconic tourist attraction on fire

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Smoke and fire is seen leaping from the top of Notre Dame, the iconic Paris cathedral. Videos shot by people show the blaze engulfing the spire between its bell towers.

The fire broke out in the cathedral on Monday afternoon, a Paris fire department confirmed, adding that a major operation to tackle the fire is underway.

The causes of the incident remain unknown so far.

The Medieval cathedral is one of the main attractions of the French capital, seeing 12 million tourists a year.

The incident took place as the jewel of the Gothic architecture was undergoing a major overhaul costing € 11 million ($ 12.43 million), with the renovation works being expected to be finished around 2022.

Last week, 16 bronze statues representing 12 apostles and four evangelists from the New Testament were lifted off the spire of the cathedral by crane. Some scaffolding can now be seen close to the flames leaping out near the cathedral’s spire.

The spire itself was made of wood and covered with lead has long been in a bad shape as the elements of the construction dating back to the mid-nineteenth century have been damaged by weather, pollution and time.

The cathedral was being built from 13th to 15th century.

Travel News | eTurboNews

At least three people die jumping from Bangkok skyscraper to escape hotel fire

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A 57-floor hotel and shopping building has gone up in flames in Bangkok, Thailand. At least three people have died jumping to escape the fire, which ripped through the popular tourist spot.

The fire broke out at the Centara Grand hotel and Centralworld shopping plaza at around 6pm local time on Wednesday. Plumes of black smoke spewed out of the building, and three jumped to their deaths from the horrific blaze, local media reported.

Shocking footage shared on social media shows the smoke pouring out of the burning skyscraper.

Bangkok’s typically gridlocked traffic hampered the efforts of emergency services to reach the scene of the blaze, but the fire was reportedly brought under control an hour or so after it broke out.

Bangkok Governor Assawin Kwanmuang told reporters that the fire broke out on the eighth floor, in a document storage room.

The Centara Grand hotel is the flagship hotel of the Central Group, and one of the largest hotels in the Thai capital.

Wednesday’s blaze is not the first time the Centara Grand has gone up in flames. Anti-government protesters set the hotel and shopping complex on fire in 2010, after months of demonstrations. The fire gutted a department store and left parts of the building closed for months of repair work.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Singapore Grand Hyatt Hotel ablaze: 500 evacuated

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A fire broke out at the luxury Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown Singapore today forcing the evacuation of around 500 hotel guests.

In TV footage, thick black smoke could be seen billowing from the hotel that is located close to the Orchard Road shopping district. The fire started from a kitchen stove and exhaust duct in a restaurant on the second floor of the hotel. Water sprinklers put out the fire before firefighters arrived.

According to the Singapore Civil Defense Force, the fire was put out quickly, and emergency responders said nobody was injured.

Guests were still checking in to the Singapore hotel around 2 hours as the smell of the fire lingered in the lobby. The fire likely caused an electrical short on the second floor, as it was in darkness.

“The smoke was really terrible … it got into my throat. I think it was quite thick,” said Nadiah Yayoh, 40, who works at a boutique in the hotel. “Usually we have fire drills and normal evacuations, as well as fire practice … This is a lesson learned not to take it lightly.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Senegalese migrant sets school bus full of children on fire in Italy

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The driver of a school bus filled with children has been arrested by Italian police for setting fire to the vehicle near Milan. The Senegalese man reportedly called for an end to “deaths in the Mediterranean” during the incident.

Miraculously all 51 schoolboys managed to escape the fire without injuries, although 12 children and two adults were sent to hospital for smoke inhalation.

The 46-year-old Senegal-born driver reportedly spilled gasoline down the aisle of the bus while shouting that he wants to stop deaths in the Mediterranean Sea before igniting the blaze.

“I want to end it, the deaths in the Mediterranean must be stopped,” he said according to the Italian news outlet.

The children were students of Vailati middle school in the Italian city of Cremona, and raised the alarm by calling their parents after the driver announced that he wanted to kill himself.

The Carabinieri, Italy’s national police service, stopped the vehicle by erecting a series of checkpoints that the driver attempted to break through.

The man eventually lost control of the vehicle and attempted to set the bus alight before the military rescued the students by breaking the windows.

Footage of the blaze show firefighters at the scene and the remains of the completely burned vehicle on the side of a busy road. The driver was reportedly known to police and has been arrested for the arson attack.

Travel News | eTurboNews