Today's other stories in brief
Pilot on fake licence flew for 13 years
AMSTERDAM – A Swedish pilot with a fake commercial licence was arrested in his cockpit at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport as he prepared to fly 101 passengers on a Boeing 737 to Turkey, Dutch police said yesterday.
The 41-year-old Swede, who was at the helm of a jet bound for Ankara, had been flying for 13 years and logged more than 10,000 flight hours using forged documents for airlines in Belgium, Britain and Italy, authorities said.
The pilot was said to have expressed relief when confronted and his pilot’s stripes removed.– (Reuters)
Two killed after wave strikes cruise ship
MADRID – Two people have been killed and seven injured by a large wave which struck a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea near Spain, coast guard officials said yesterday.
A coastguard spokesman added that the Maltese- registered Louis Majesty was heading for Genoa when it ran into rough seas off the northeast Spanish coast.
“A wave broke the glass in the area of the saloon and water was taken on board. There are two dead and six injured,” he said.
A spokesman for owners Louis Cruises in Cyprus, said the ship had sailed through waves eight metres tall.
The captain did not request help but decided to put into Barcelona so the injured could receive treatment.
– (Reuters)
Ex-spy charged with selling files
LONDON – A former agent from Britain’s foreign secret service was remanded in custody yesterday after appearing in court charged with trying to sell stolen intelligence files for £2 million (€2.2m).
Daniel Houghton (25), a former member of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service known as MI6, appeared at City of Westminster magistrates’ court to face one charge of theft and another of breaking the Official Secrets Act. He was charged with stealing “a number of electronic files containing techniques for intelligence collection”. – (Reuters)
Child heard at JFK directing aircraft
NEW YORK – A child was apparently allowed to direct aircraft from the control tower of New York’s JFK. Two controllers have been suspended while the Federal Aviation Authority investigates the incident which took place during a week-long school break.
The investigation began after tapes of the child’s conversation were posted on the internet. The voice can be heard making five transmissions to pilots preparing for take-off on February 17th. In one exchange, the child can be heard saying, “JetBlue 171 contact departure.” The pilot responds: “Over to departure JetBlue 171, awesome job.”
A male voice in the tower then says: “That’s what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school.” The child later clears another plane for take off, saying, “Adios, amigo.”
– (AP)