RAIN & SHINE

Emergency landingAn aircraft carrying US military personnel was forced to make an emergency landing at Shannon airport yesterday.

The jet, flying from Bangor, Maine, to Leipzig in Germany, touched down safely at Shannon after the pilot reported a problem with an engine.

The aircraft was carrying 257 troops and crew.

A spokeswoman for Shannon airport said the emergency service - which included units of the fire brigade from Shannon town and ambulances from Ennis and Limerick city - were not needed.

Engineers were inspecting the aircraft last night before deciding whether it was safe to continue its journey or if the troops had to spend the night in local hotels. - (PA)

Ice breaker

A chunk of an Arctic glacier broke into the sea yesterday and triggered a huge wave that injured 18 people on a sightseeing boat off the coast of Norway. Four people were seriously hurt in the incident at Hornbreen glacier on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard and were flown south to a hospital in Tromso on the mainland. "The glacier calved [split off] and a big wave washed over the boat," according to the acting governor of Svalbard.

Psst . . .

Thanks to the weather, last-minute deals are hard to come by, but there's always a way . . . head along to your local travel agent, browse the brochures and select hotels you'd like to visit. Then go online, find the hotel, price a flight and chances are you'll have saved a few bob for the margaritas.

Seek out or avoid: share your holiday tip by e-mail: august@irish-times.ie

Todotoday

The annual Swords Festival of Food will be held in Swords Castle today.

For more events listings see: www.ireland.com/theticket/summerevents