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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: IceFire on August 02, 2005, 04:37:48 pm

Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: IceFire on August 02, 2005, 04:37:48 pm
Airbus A340 crashes at Toronto's Pearson International Airport and slams into a nearby ravine narrowly missing Highway 401.

Read the stories here:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/08/02/pearson-plane050802.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4740381.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/08/02/toronto.crash/index.html

This is pretty close to home for me...I've traveled along the highway in that picture a thousand times (usually gawking at the airplanes passing overhead).

Sounds like weather may have been an issue.

They are saying on the news right now that at least some people were able to escape the plane...a miracle to be sure. This is just so close to home...
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Goober5000 on August 02, 2005, 04:42:56 pm
Sounds pretty scary.  Accidents close to home are always nerve-wracking.

On a lighter note, this sentence struck me as pretty funny:
Quote
At mid-afternoon Tuesday, a spokesperson with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority said lightning was causing technical problems with the airport's lightning-detection system.
:lol:
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: aldo_14 on August 02, 2005, 05:00:20 pm
:(
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: karajorma on August 02, 2005, 05:04:58 pm
The reports seem to say that there were no casualties which is good.

As for that quote about the lightning detector. They've got to be joking. A lightning detector that is screwed up by lightning? :wtf:
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Rictor on August 02, 2005, 05:12:43 pm
Has the lighting detector turned evil and began a campaign of terror against its human masters? No? Shame.

Good to hear that no one was hurt.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: IceFire on August 02, 2005, 05:23:01 pm
Quote
Originally posted by karajorma
The reports seem to say that there were no casualties which is good.

As for that quote about the lightning detector. They've got to be joking. A lightning detector that is screwed up by lightning? :wtf:

With the sorts of storms we've had around here in the last few weeks...I almost wouldn't be surprised that there were technical difficulties.

Reports on CityTV are now saying that most or all of the passengers escaped, that the plane came down in bad weather, that it was probably hit by lightning, the internal lights went off, and that the plane hit the runway hard...possibly blowing out the tires.

They are saying about 30-40 people are being sent to nearby hospitals with injuries but they have already interviewed many people on TV...seemingly ok although shaken up.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: aldo_14 on August 02, 2005, 05:30:28 pm
Quote
Originally posted by karajorma
The reports seem to say that there were no casualties which is good.

As for that quote about the lightning detector. They've got to be joking. A lightning detector that is screwed up by lightning? :wtf:


Maybe it's its first day?
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Martinus on August 02, 2005, 05:57:47 pm
[color=66ff00]I hope the no casualties reports are accurate.

Bad luck all around though.
[/color]
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Cobra on August 02, 2005, 06:33:15 pm
Quote
One other witness said she thought the plane had been struck by lightning.


:lol:

the way the clouds look that is NOT suitable conditions for lightning.

all the same: damn.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: aldo_14 on August 02, 2005, 06:52:14 pm
What, heavy rain?
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Cobra on August 02, 2005, 06:55:19 pm
hmm... now that i think about it more thoroughly, i guess that could be a slim possibility...
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: IceFire on August 02, 2005, 09:55:50 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Cobra


:lol:

the way the clouds look that is NOT suitable conditions for lightning.

all the same: damn.

Uhh we get nasty frontlines (warm fronts, coldfronts, etc.) that come through the area and create all sorts of "popcorn" thunderstorms.  One minute its dark, raining, and there is lightning everywhere, and the next minute is all clearing out.

Welcome to Southern Ontario...where the weather changes unpredictably in the most extreme ways.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Bri_Dog on August 03, 2005, 12:00:44 am
It's only a disaster if people die. I demand this thread be renamed!
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: FireCrack on August 03, 2005, 12:04:58 am
^Umm.. no.

Anyways, good to hear noone was hurt, quite amazing actualy, considering the shape the plane was in.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Inquisitor on August 03, 2005, 08:19:21 am
Quote
All 297 passengers and 12 crew members survived the crash, Canadian authorities and the airline said.



Wow.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: IceFire on August 03, 2005, 03:57:32 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Bri_Dog
It's only a disaster if people die. I demand this thread be renamed!

It sure looked like nobody escaped with the pictures they were showing on TV when I wrote this...

Leave the thread in the spirit that it was posted in.  A chronological history if you will.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Bri_Dog on August 03, 2005, 04:16:37 pm
I was just trying to make a joke.......and failing it seems
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Clave on August 04, 2005, 01:31:30 am
It should be called The Canadian Miracle

That could have been really nasty...:eek2:
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Sandwich on August 04, 2005, 02:02:56 am
From an article titled 'All I Could Do Was Pray' (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/03/AR2005080301968_2.html) (emphasis mine):

Quote
The chairman of Air France, Jean-Cyril Spinetta, told reporters in France: "I don't know if we should speak of a miracle, but we can certainly speak of . . . the professionalism of the crew."


Yeeeaaahhh...
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: aldo_14 on August 04, 2005, 06:58:31 am
I was thinking it was a bit of a triumph for the airline/aircrafts' safety procedures, myself.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: vyper on August 04, 2005, 07:16:00 am
Indeed. If you believe in God you have to accept He doesn't make planes crash, nor does He save them. So yay for safety standards compliance.
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: Sandwich on August 04, 2005, 06:26:34 pm
Ok, whatever. :)
Title: Major air disaster in Toronto!
Post by: achtung on August 04, 2005, 06:33:16 pm
CNN and Fox and all of em' kept trying to put words in the peoples mouths.