Search

NASA astronauts stranded in space

Two astronauts are stranded in space after a simple week-long trip to the International Space Station (ISS) has turned into a possible eight-month trip. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams encountered technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft days after departing for their eight-day trip in June and now may be stuck indefinitely. The trip Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, were on was designed to see how the new spacecraft performs before it is used more regularly. However, problems emerged as it made its approach to the ISS, including leaks in its propulsion system and some of its thrusters shutting down. While they made it to the space station safely, they will need an alternative mode of transport to get home if the Starliner is not deemed safe to return to Earth. One potential option being considered to get the astronauts safely home is to attach the two astronauts to a separate mission that is scheduled to launch in September, and return them to earth with that mission in February 2025. That flight to the space station will be made by a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, and while the initial plan was for four crew members to be aboard, two of the seats could be left empty if needed. That plan would mean the astronauts would spend more than eight months, rather than eight days, aboard the International Space Station. NASA officials said it could take a week or more for a final decision to be made about how to get the stranded astronauts safely home. Thankfully, NASA has used a SpaceX rocket to deliver more food and supplies to the ISS, including extra clothes for the two astronauts, as the pair remain in high spirits. Image credits: NASA

Travel Trouble

Missing couple found dead in stranded lifeboat

A couple have been found dead in a lifeboat after attempting to sail across the Atlantic ocean. The bodies of Brit Sarah Packwood and her Canadian husband Brett Clibbery washed up in a boat on a beach in Nova Scotia over a month after they left Canada in a 12.8m eco-friendly yacht. The couple were heading to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. “Powered by the wind and sun. Heading east to the Azores. It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far,” they said online, prior to their trip. Searches including by plane had been underway after the couple failed to arrive or communicate. Clibbery's son James announced the couple's deaths on Facebook. "There is still an investigation, as well as a DNA test to confirm, but with all the news, it is hard to remain hopeful," he wrote. "I am so very sorry to the people who were friends of them. "They were amazing people, and there isn't anything that will fill the hole that has been left by their, so far unexplained passing." It remains unclear how the couple got into trouble, but police in Halifax have launched an investigation into their deaths. One theory is that the small yacht was hit by a much larger ship. The couple had been living in Salt Spring Island in the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, and were documenting their travel adventures on Facebook and YouTube. On June 10 they posted a video saying they were heading on a "new adventure" from their home in Saltspring Island, British Columbia to Dartmouth Yacht Club, Nova Scotia. "All being well, and weather permitting the Captain and I intend to set sail in the next day or two for an ocean crossing," Packwood said. They were both experienced sailors, and the last video they shared was of them leaving Halifax on June 12. In the video, taken aboard the yacht, Clibbery said they could see "one big ship on the horizon which came out from Halifax, so they're out of our way. We're sailing." Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

An elderly American couple was left behind by a Norwegian Cruise Line while on holiday in Spain this week. Richard and Claudene Gordon- aged 84 and 81 - were on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the Norwegian Viva with plans to celebrate Richard's birthday before things went downhill. The couple decided to take an independent excursion by themselves while the ship was docked in Motril, Spain, but on their return, their bus was delayed for an hour due to poor weather, so they ran late for the 5:30pm all-aboard time ahead of a scheduled 6pm departure. “I am a very experienced traveler and have probably been on as many as 30 cruises during my lifetime,” Richard told CNN. “Never before have we ever missed catching a ship on time at a port. So we are not someone who abuses the system.” Richard claimed that at 5:45pm they notified a relative on board who raised the alarm that they were nearby and running late, but nothing could be done at that point as the ship had to leave on time. By the time the couple arrived at 6:10pm, the boat had left the harbour, but Richard claimed that the cruise line had a tendency to depart behind schedule, and made no attempt to contact them until late Tuesday. “Our cruise began in Lisbon and we departed from Lisbon about one and a half hours after the scheduled departure at 4pm,” he claimed. “Then the next night or two, at least a half-hour late from the dock, so it is clear that they do not always leave on the exact moment scheduled.” The couple were left stranded without their medication, eyeglasses and spare hearing aid batteries, which were left on board. Their daughter ended up having to book her parents a flight to Palma de Mallorca, where the boat was making its next call Wednesday morning, according to the publication. By the time the couple got to Mallorca, they were met with "a beautiful black BMW limousine" which took them back to their ship. "There we were met by the head of ship services who escorted us inside the ship to meet the general manager of the ship, then they escorted us to breakfast, then they escorted us to our cabin.They said they have already complained about the harbour master who was supposed to take care of things for them. "But of course the ship had not contacted us directly for two days so that doesn’t speak so well for them.” The Norwegian Cruise Line disputed the couple’s account of what happened. “After several attempts to contact these guests with the phone numbers provided, as well as trying to phone their emergency contact, we were unable to speak to them directly. However, we worked closely with the local port agents to make arrangements for the guests to rejoin the vessel,” a spokesperson said. “It is important to note that a delayed departure has the potential to impact the ship’s ability to deliver its planned itinerary and thus influence the experience for all guests on-board. While this was a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.” Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

"Worst experience of our lives": Aussies break silence after being stranded by cruise ship

An Australian couple have spoken out about how their dream holiday turned into a nightmare after they were abandoned by their cruise ship and left stranded in Africa. Violetta and Doug Sanders were two of eight travellers on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship who took off on a private tour not organised by the cruise while they were docked on the small African island of São Tomé. After their <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/the-key-decision-that-led-to-cruise-passengers-being-abandoned-by-ship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">private tour ran late</a>, the Aussie pensioners and their fellow travellers were unable to rejoin the cruise as the ship was ready to disembark from the port, and were left stranded. Doug and Violetta are still attempting to rejoin the cruise in Senegal to be reunited with valuables such as their passports to finish out their journey. The couple spoke to Sunrise on Wednesday, detailing their nightmarish experience in the foreign country. “It’s been the worst experience of our lives to be abandoned like that in a strange country, can’t speak the language — Portuguese or an African (language),” Violeta said. “We have no money, our credit cards aren’t accepted.” The group of stranded travellers have been racing through six African countries to get to where the ship is docking in Senegal in time, but US travellers Jill and Jay Campbell have cast doubt on whether they will re-board the ship. “We believe that it was a basic duty of care that they have forgotten about — although there are a set of rules, they have followed them too rigidly,” Jill told US media overnight. The group, which included four elderly people, a pregnant woman, a quadriplegic and a person with a heart condition, were set to rejoin the ship last Sunday in The Gambia, however, low-tide meant the ship couldn’t dock at the African port. The Campbells have been using their credit card to look after the entire group, spending more than $5,000 USD so far. Norwegian Cruise Lines has said it is up to guests to be back on time. “Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel,” it said. The cruise line later said it was in contact with passengers and had been “working closely with authorities” to allow the guests to re-join the ship. Image credits: Sunrise

Travel Trouble

The key decision that led to cruise passengers being abandoned by ship

A group of travellers, including two Australians, have been left stranded in Africa after their cruise ship allegedly refused to let them board the ship after a day trip. Eight passengers were among the many cruisers who disembarked the Norwegian Dawn at São Tomé and Príncipe, an island nation of 220,000 people off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea, last Wednesday. The group of eight passengers took off on a private day tour, that reportedly wasn't organised through the cruise company. Things turned sour when the group were delayed on their day trip, with their tour operator allegedly connecting with the captain to tell the cruise the eight passengers would arrive later than their 3pm curfew. When the group arrived to the port, the ship was still anchored, but American couple Jill and Jay Campbell said the captain allegedly refused to let them on board. According to cruise ship lawyer Spencer Aonfeld, the group's big mistake was not booking the tour through the cruise company, as private tours come with a huge risk. Weighing into the drama on TikTok, Mr Aonfeld said, “Eight passengers were left behind when their cruise ship left them because they were delayed in an excursion apparently conducted without buying it directly through Norwegian." “These passengers include elderly passengers, one apparently a paraplegic, one has a heart condition, they don't have their medication, money, passports, cell phones and other things — they’re just left behind." “That unfortunately, according to Norwegian and me is, one of the consequences you pay when you buy your excursions from someone other than the cruise line." “Now they’re left there having to come up with the means to travel back to the next port or home and forfeit the remaining potion of their cruise. Imagine trying to do that in Africa without a passport, money or medication — we wish them the very best.” In order to rejoin the cruise and be reunited with their valuables, the group is now trekking to a port in Senegal, where the cruise is set to dock on Tuesday. In a statement, Norwegian Cruise Lines said it was “in communication with the guests,” and was providing them with “additional information” to rejoin the cruise. “While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel,” NCL said in a statement. The company said it was “working closely with the local authorities” on how the guests might re-join the ship. Image credits: Getty Images / WRAL North Carolina

Travel Trouble

Dramatic rescue of hikers stranded overnight in Alpine Region

In a heart-stopping ordeal captured on video, two hikers were airlifted to safety after spending a harrowing night stranded in Victoria's remote Alpine Region. The dramatic rescue unfolded on Mount Bogong, one of Australia's highest peaks, highlighting both the beauty and dangers of wilderness exploration. The two hikers, aged 63 and 71, had embarked on what they likely anticipated as a routine trek through the rugged terrain of the Alpine Region. However, as evening descended, their situation took a perilous turn. Recognising the need for assistance, they reached out to emergency services, prompting a swift response from the police Air Wing and Search and Rescue Squad. Navigating treacherous landscapes requires both skill and intuition, and it appears that these experienced hikers may have underestimated the challenges posed by Mount Bogong's unforgiving environment. Despite their best efforts, they found themselves stranded, facing a night of uncertainty amidst the wilderness. Thankfully, the Search and Rescue Squad quickly established communication with the stranded hikers, assessing their situation and determining that they possessed sufficient supplies and experience to endure the night. While undoubtedly a daunting experience, the hikers remained composed, awaiting the dawn and the arrival of their rescuers. As the first light broke over the Alpine peaks, a plan was set in motion to extract the hikers from their precarious situation. With precision and expertise, the police Air Wing and Search and Rescue Squad orchestrated a daring helicopter rescue operation. Against the backdrop of Mount Bogong's majestic slopes, the helicopter descended, its rotor blades slicing through the crisp mountain air. The video footage captured the tension and relief as the hikers were carefully winched to safety, lifted from the wilderness that had held them captive. Once aboard the helicopter, they were swiftly transported to solid ground, where awaiting ambulance paramedics ensured their well-being. Images: Victoria Police

Travel Trouble

Passengers stranded after three-year cruise abruptly cancelled

When Life At Sea <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/world-first-three-year-cruise-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> their world-first three-year voyage in early 2023, many were quick to jump at the opportunity to spend the next years of their life onboard. People from around the globe <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/meet-the-woman-preparing-to-spend-three-years-at-sea#xd_co_f=YTM5MzVmOGQtNTY4My00NWE1LThjNDctMTUxMjJlNjVhMWNj~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sold their homes</a> and belongings to fork out the hefty $180,000 price tag to spend 36 months travelling the world, with their once-in-a-lifetime voyage set to kick off in November. But now, as their departure date loomed, Life At Sea have left passengers stranded after abruptly cancelling the trip in its entirety. Life at Sea Cruises was scheduled to depart from Istanbul, Turkey on November 1st but departure was relocated and delayed twice to November 30th, before passengers were informed on November 17th the cruise was off, according to CNN. The news outlet reported that the ship that was destined to be the vessel of the three-year journey was bought by another company just one day before the voyage was cancelled. The owner of Life at Sea Cruises’ parent company Miray Cruises, then confirmed they couldn’t afford the ship because investors had pulled out “due to unrest in the Middle East” – but suggested they were working on getting another ship and a new departure date. The idea that the vessel would be replaced filled some travellers with hope they would still be embarking on their three-year adventure, before CEO of Miray Cruises was forced to clarify: “In case we weren’t clear, the Life at Sea cruise trip is cancelled.” Passengers were devastated by the news, with those who thought they had locked in the next three years of their lives telling CNN they felt “incredibly sad”, “angry” and “betrayed”. “I had the next three years of my life planned to live an extraordinary life, and now [I have] nothing,” said one cruiser. “I don’t think they will ever understand how much damage they’ve caused us,” said another. The more than $180,000 three-year trip had been celebrated by big cruising fans and called a “nightmare” and “claustrophobic” by critics across social media. The company’s website is still advertising the cruise as normal, with a countdown stating on Monday it was three hours “until we go for an adventure of a lifetime”. Image credits: Life At Sea

Travel Trouble

Why can’t we just tow stranded whales and dolphins back out to sea?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-pirotta-873986">Vanessa Pirotta</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> On Tuesday night, a pod of almost 100 long-finned pilot whales stranded itself on a beach on Western Australia’s south coast. Over the course of Wednesday, more than 100 parks and wildlife staff and 250 registered volunteers worked tirelessly to try to keep alive the 45 animals surviving the night. They used small boats and surf skis to try to get the pilot whales into deeper water. Volunteers helped keep the animals’ blowholes above water to prevent them drowning, and poured water on them to cool them down. Our rescue efforts were, sadly, unsuccessful. The animals (actually large ocean-going dolphins) able to be towed or helped out to deeper water turned around and stranded themselves again, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=228337910167574&ref=sharing">further down the beach</a>. Sadly, they had to be euthanised. Unfortunately, towing whales and dolphins is not simple. It can work and work well, as we saw in Tasmania last year, when dozens of pilot whales were rescued. But rescuers have to have good conditions and a fair dash of luck for it to succeed. <h2>Rescuing beached whales is hard</h2> When we try to rescue stranded whales and dolphins, the goal is to get them off the sandbars or beach, and back into deep water. Why is it so difficult? Consider the problem. First, you have to know that a pod has beached itself. Then, you have to be able to get there in time, with people skilled in wildlife rescue. These animals are generally too big and heavy to rely on muscle power alone. To get them out far enough, you need boats and sometimes tractors. That means the sea conditions and the slope of the beach have to be suitable. Often, one of the first things rescuers might do is look for those individuals who might be good candidates to be refloated. Generally, these are individuals still alive, and not completely exhausted. If rescuers have boats and good conditions, they may use slings. The boats need to be able to tow the animals well out to sea. Trained people must always be there to oversee the operation. That’s because these large, stressed animals could seriously injure humans just by moving their bodies on the beach. There are extra challenges. Dolphins and whales are slippery and extremely heavy. Long-finned pilot whales can weigh up to 2.3 tonnes. They may have never seen humans before and won’t necessarily know humans are there to help. They’re out of their element, under the sun and extremely stressed. Out of the water, their sheer weight begins to crush their organs. They can also become sunburnt. Because they are so efficient at keeping a comfortable temperature in the sea, they can overheat and die on land. Often, as we saw yesterday, they can’t always keep themselves upright in the shallow water. And to add to the problem, pilot whales are highly social. They want to be with each other. If you tow a single animal back out to sea, it may try to get back to its family and friends or remain disorientated and strand once again. Because of these reasons – and probably others – it wasn’t possible to save the pilot whales yesterday. Those that didn’t die naturally were euthanised to minimise their suffering. <h2>Successful rescues do happen</h2> Despite the remarkable effort from authorities and local communities, we couldn’t save this pod. Every single person working around the clock to help these animals did an amazing job, from experts to volunteers in the cold water to those making cups of tea. But sometimes, we get luckier. Last year, 230 pilot whales beached themselves at Macquarie Harbour, on Tasmania’s west coast. By the time rescuers could get there, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/27/44-pilot-whales-rescued-and-returned-to-sea-after-mass-stranding-at-tasmanian-beach">most were dead</a>. But dozens were still alive. This time, conditions were different and towing worked. Rescuers were able to bring boats close to shore. Surviving pilot whales were helped into a sling, and then the boat took them far out to sea. Taking them to the same location prevented them from beaching again. <h2>Every stranding lets us learn more</h2> Unfortunately, we don’t really know why whales and dolphins strand at all. Has something gone wrong with how toothed whales and dolphins navigate? Are they following a sick leader? Are human-made undersea sounds making it too loud? Are they avoiding predators such as killer whales? We don’t know. We do know there are stranding hotspots. Macquarie Harbour is one. In 2020, it was the site of one of the worst-ever strandings, with up to 470 pilot whales stranded. Authorities were able to save 94, drawing on trained <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/25/death-at-hells-gates-rescuers-witness-tragic-end-for-hundreds-of-pilot-whales-on-australian-coast">rescue experts</a>. We will need more research to find out why they do this. What we do know suggests navigational problems play a role. That’s because we can divide whales and dolphins into two types: toothed and toothless. Whales and dolphins with teeth – such as pilot whales – appear to beach a lot more. These animals use echolocation (biological sonar) to find prey with high-pitched clicks bouncing off objects. But toothless baleen whales like humpbacks (there are no dolphins with baleen) don’t use this technique. They use low-frequency sounds, but to communicate, not hunt. So – it is possible to save beached whales and dolphins. But it’s not as easy as towing them straight back to sea, alas. The Conversation thanks 10-year-old reader Grace Thornton from Canberra for suggesting the question that gave rise to this article.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210544/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-pirotta-873986">Vanessa Pirotta</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cant-we-just-tow-stranded-whales-and-dolphins-back-out-to-sea-210544">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Tragic and eerie images emerge after 51 whales stranded on WA beach

Heartbreaking and haunting scenes have surfaced after 51 majestic whales met a tragic fate, stranded on a Western Australian beach, leaving a somber and desperate atmosphere as wildlife experts struggle to save the remaining 46. Amidst a desolate backdrop, a once-thriving pod of long-finned pilot whales was spotted, their lives hanging by a thread perilously close to Cheynes Beach, 60km east of Albany, on Tuesday morning. As the day progressed, the pod's slow and ominous movement toward the shore was closely watched by officers from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, fearing that the worst was about to transpire. In an eerie twist of fate, moments before the tragic stranding, the officers were taken aback as the pod formed a loose heart shape in the vast ocean. A haunting drone camera captured the poignant moment, further intensifying the melancholic atmosphere. “Crews captured this remarkable behaviour from a drone camera, shortly before the whales moved towards the beach,” a spokesperson for the DBCA Parks and Wildlife Service said. By 4pm, the once serene shoreline turned into a heartbreaking spectacle, as the beach became a resting place for the floundering bodies of these magnificent beings. DBCA Parks and Wildlife Service staff, along with Perth Zoo veterinarians and marine fauna experts, set up a vigil, their heavy hearts dreading what lay ahead for the dwindling pod. The initial estimation of 70 whales involved in the tragedy was quickly shattered, as the grim tally soared to 97 on Wednesday. The news of the stranded whales brought forth an outpouring of compassion from hundreds of individuals who wanted to help. But as the sad reality unfolded, authorities politely urged the public to stay away from Cheynes Beach, acknowledging the myriad hazards, including the presence of distressed and potentially sick whales, sharks, powerful waves, heavy machinery and vessels. Wildlife experts are attempting to discern the reasons behind this heart-wrenching event, speculating on stress or illness within the pod. Yet the enigma of why whales strand themselves remains unresolved. The availability of drone footage depicting the pod before their tragedy sets this event apart from previous strandings. The haunting visuals of these social creatures huddled together in distress leave a lasting impact, a stark reminder of how unusual and deeply troubling this occurrence truly is. Pilot whales, known for their close-knit familial bonds, rely on a follow-the-leader mentality, which may be one of the reasons why multiple individuals find themselves stranded in such circumstances. The complexity of their relationships only adds to the heartache surrounding their plight. To view drone footage of the incident, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/25/wa-mass-stranding-pilot-whales-beached-cheynes-beach-albany-caravan-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. Images: Cheynes Beach Caravan Park / Facebook / WA Government.

Travel Trouble

"It's okay, we will see sissy soon": Athena Strand's mother shares heartbreak

The mother of Athena Strand, the little girl who was kidnapped and murdered by a FedEx driver, has shared a heartbreaking tribute to her seven-year-old daughter. Maitlyn Gandy shared a video showing her youngest daughter, Rye, crying for her ‘Sissy’ who had gone to spend time with her father and stepmother in Texas before returning to her mother and sister in Comanche, Oklahoma, for Christmas. Dated November 27, the video was taken just three days before Athena was reported missing and five days before she was found dead. The short clip shows Rye crying and “begging for her sissy” in a car booster seat, with Gandy writing that her young daughter’s feelings of missing her sissy have been extended “indefinitely”. “That video of Rye begging for her sissy was Sunday 11/27 when we thought sissy would only be gone a few days,” Gandy wrote. “I kept telling her, ‘It’s okay, we will see sissy soon’, not knowing how twisted our lives would become. I took it because she does this anytime she think sissy is going somewhere without her. She cried for thirty minutes straight in the car until she cried herself to sleep. “This monster has now extended those feelings for my youngest daughter indefinitely.” In previous posts, Gandy shared that Athena’s favourite colour was pink, describing her as an “innocent, beautiful kid” and “the brighest happiest soul you could ever meet”. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid05rc5eJC8QQ2hgJaCBQmj9YPoxCYagdPZzrxWvcKk9TvLeio7QvrHyZYAZ4jZafbvl%26id%3D100004852725773&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="761" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “She was perfect from her creation. She was born perfect and too beautiful. Daddy and mommy were scared of how beautiful she has always been and we feel like we failed you,” Gandy wrote, along with photos of a smiling Athena. “No one deserves what happened to you, but especially you. I love you and love doesn’t even cover it. Mommy is broken without you.” In another post, she said she didn’t want her daughter to be known as “the one murdered and discarded by a monster”. “I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me,” she wrote. Athena was snatched from the driveway of her family’s home in Paradise, Texas, by Tanner Lynn Horner on Wednesday afternoon. According to the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Athena was dropped off from school at 4.30pm and was outside her home after an argument with her stepmother when Horner delievered a package to the house. When Athena didn’t come back inside, her stepmother reported her missing to police that evening. She was found dead 10 miles away on Friday. The 31-year-old has since been charged with aggravated murder and kidnapping, with Wise County sheriff Lane Akin describing the tragedy as a “crime of opportunity”. Police said Horner, who is being held on a $1.5 million bond, likely killed Athena within an hour of her kidnapping. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0YtRfBoAg5MkGPLwgrYQTb7KK8iiFJeu4Y2XsJxSH4NXD39Jzdb1Ff4TB53BERcMCl%26id%3D100004852725773&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="675" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> A tip-off and Horner’s FedEx delivery route that day helped police connected the driver to Athena’s murder. Horner confessed shortly after being apprehended and is the only suspect authorities believe is responsible. On Monday, residents in Texas and Comanche, Oklahoma, were asked to wear pink to celebrate Athena’s life, with the request in Wise County coming from local judge J.D. Clark. “My heart is so heavy about Athena. Additionally, I encourage everyone to join me at 6:30pm on Monday on the Courthouse steps to pray for Athena, her family, our first responders and our community,” Clark said. At the vigil, local resident Kayla McConnell told WFAA that the whole community had been impacted by Athena’s death and would be supporting the family as they grieved. “In a small town like this, you don't think of anything like this ever. Nothing compares to the pain that [the family is] going through. But this entire community has felt this,” she said. “And we're all there with them. And we will support them and we will remember Athena every time we even see pink.” In a statement on Friday night, FedEx expressed their condolences for the family “during this most difficult time”, “Words cannot describe our shock at the reports surrounding this tragic event. First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family during this most difficult time.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

"It was a nightmare": 11-year-old kicked off Jetstar flight and left "stranded"

A Sydney mother has slammed Jetstar after they kicked her 11-year-old son off a flight to the Gold Coast, despite previously being told he was allowed to fly. Emma Garland decided to let her two kids Scarlett, 13, and Jack, 11, travel on their own for the very first time ahead of the June long weekend. Emma and her husband were both working at a conference in Queensland, so a plan was made for the kids to fly up together and meet them for a weekend away. Slightly wary of letting her children make the journey alone, Emma called Qantas to "see what the options were". “They said, no worries Scarlett can fly with Jack as an accompanied minor, so I changed the tickets,” Emma told <a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/jetstar/sydney-mum-slams-jetstar-after-kicking-11-year-old-son-off-flight-c-8863550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. On their travel day, Scarlett and Jack were taken to the airport by their grandparents and boarded their flight with no issues. “They boarded the flight, and it was all fine, all smiles,” Garland said. However, just before take off, a flight attendant approached the kids and asked Jack how old he was. Jack was then told he wasn't old enough to fly and was escorted off the flight alone. “They tried to get her [Scarlett] off too but said ‘sorry the gates are closed’,” Garland said. “No one explained to her what was happening, or even asked if she was okay.” “No one said anything to her, which is just disgusting.” Meanwhile, Jack was “hysterical” after the ordeal, and was left temporarily “stranded” until he was reunited with his in-laws who were contacted to come and collect him. Emma promptly left the Gold Coast after purchasing a "very expensive" last minute flight to Sydney to be with her son. “My husband was upset at the Jetstar counter and was just saying ‘I can’t believe you’ve done this to my family’,” she said. “He was in tears at the counter. It was a nightmare of a day.” Now, several months after the ordeal, Emma said her family have yet to receive any kind of compensation or apology from the airline. “I have no idea which policy the Qantas consultant was referring to over the phone that day, but they assured me they would be okay to fly,” she said. “It’s just terrible and not to mention the duty of care aspect.” Meanwhile, a Jetstar spokesperson told 7News they are looking into the matter, to “ensure this doesn’t happen again”. “We sincerely apologise to Ms Garland and her family for the extremely distressing situation and acknowledge our teams should have handled this situation better,” they said. The airline explained while they “enjoy welcoming young passengers on board”, they do not offer an unaccompanied minor service and that passengers must “meet certain requirements in order to travel independently”. Image credits: Garland Family / 7News

Travel Trouble

Stranded opera singer busks to earn cash after cancelled flights

After her flight home was cancelled, one Jestar passenger said she was forced to busk for money until she could get home. Edit Pali had travelled to a remote resort in Phuket with her husband Tibor to celebrate her 50th birthday when a cancelled flight saw their stay extend for another five days. Having spent a large portion of their savings on their trip, the couple were faced with the problem of paying for their additional days in the resort. Ms Pali told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/stranded-aussie-jetstar-passengers-speak-out/04c064ba-f60c-43dd-8ba8-640595f8ddc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> that the airline had offered them $30 for meals and $150 for accommodation each day in compensation - but the money failed to arrive. “I’m a tough chook but I cried, I really cried,” she said. Taking advantage of her skills as an opera singer, Ms Pali decided to sing for her supper at breakfast, lunch and dinner while they waited for the funds to come through. "We're just average people, we don't make a lot of money, so for us to go away to Thailand for a week to a luxury resort, that was a big enough chunk into our savings,” she added. A Jetstar spokesperson said they were aware of Ms Pali’s situation and were doing “everything we can”. But Ms Pali isn’t the only person affected by a cancelled flight, as six out of 11 of Jetstar’s 787 planes were grounded earlier this month. At least 4,000 passengers travelling on popular winter routes, including to Bali, Thailand, and Japan, have been affected by delays and cancellations, with the airline blaming lightning, bird strikes and parts shortages. "Our teams work around the clock to get passengers on their way as soon as possible and we provide a range of support, including help to cover accommodation and meals costs as well as other reasonable expenses," the airline said. In a statement, Jetstar said Ms Pali and her husband were due to have their expense claim paid by September 27. Image: A Current Affair

Travel Trouble

Rowdy passengers stranded in Mexico by airlines

A group of rowdy travellers have been stranded in the Mexican city of Cancun after their in-flight conduct saw several airlines refuse to take them home. The group flew from Montreal, Canada, on December 30th onboard a charter flight organised by “exclusive private group” 111 Private Club. Videos have since emerged from the party that took place in the sky, showing travellers drinking, smoking and dancing in the aisles, which has caused outrage in Canada. The incident is being investigated by Transport Canada, with the passengers each facing hefty fines. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "extremely frustrated" with the incident. "It's a slap in the face to see people putting themselves, putting their fellow citizens, putting airline workers at risk by being completely irresponsible," Trudeau said at a recent briefing. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Passengers flying from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cancun?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cancun</a> take to partying during flight 🃏 <a href="https://t.co/BhxPax28QH">pic.twitter.com/BhxPax28QH</a> — Public Outsider (@publicoutsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/publicoutsider/status/1479232708479967233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2022</a></blockquote> Event organiser and TripleOne president James William Awad took to his blog after the videos from the plane went viral, saying, "I understand why many fellow citizens are upset about the current situation." The airline has cancelled the group’s return flight, which was scheduled for January 5th, because the travellers did not adhere to the terms outlined by the airline. Both Air Canada and Air Transat have refused to fly the group back to Canada, citing the safety of their crew and other passengers had to be taken into account. Transport Canada said that each of the travellers could face fines of up to $5,000 Canadian dollars for their behaviour on the aircraft, while also facing the risk of jail time if any traveller is caught providing false information on their return to Canada. Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

Stranded three-year-old to be reunited with his parents

A three-year-old who was trapped on a NSW cattle station with his grandparents for eight weeks has finally been reunited with his parents. Memphis Francis will reconnect with his parents on Friday afternoon after being granted an exemption to return to his home state of Queensland, where border closures are strict. The plight of the thee-year-old has caused major embarrassment to the Palaszczuk government, as its was revealed the family was denied an exemption many times but were denied. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt called Queensland’s strict border policy a “profound moral failure”. Memphis's mother spoke to 2GB on Friday morning, saying she would finally get to hug her child. “Eight weeks has felt like eight years, so it is definitely going to be very emotional,” she said. “I’m definitely going to ugly cry.” Memphis has been stranded on a remote cattle station in rural New South Wales with his grandparents for the whole eight weeks. He left the Fraser Coast in early July and has been unable to return home since. Coming to the rescue is Angel Flight Australia who have arranged safe transport for Memphis to return to Hervey Bay later on Friday. “I can’t thank everyone enough for supporting us, showing us so much love and compassion,” Memphis's emotional mum said. “A huge thank you for Angel Flight … for helping us getting our little boy home. We’re so grateful." The family announced they would be donating $1,000 to Angel Flight as a token of their appreciation for helping Memphis get home to his parents. Image credits: Sky News

Family & Pets

Sad end to stranded baby whale

A juvenile minke whale got stuck in the River Thames and freed on the night of Sunday, May 9. Following its rescue the animal was later found beached against a river wall and had to be put down after vets found its condition was “rapidly deteriorating”. The whale was then loaded onto a truck at Teddington lifeboat station and taken to Whipsnade Zoo for post-mortem tests, the results of which are not expected for a few weeks. Rob Deaville, who took part in the tests, said the whale was thought to be about two years old and was likely still dependent on its mother. The juvenile female minke was first stranded on Richmond Lock’s boat rollers. Crew from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) worked late into the evening to free the 4.2m-long whale and managed to move it. But the mammal escaped and was later seen swimming between Richmond and Teddington on Monday morning before becoming stuck once again. A vet from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) administered the injection to put it down after it became stranded. Though the full results of the post-mortem tests will take several weeks, Mr Deaville said told the BBC they had found “no evidence of any recent feeding” and “evidence of starvation over a few days”, which he explained was consistent with the whale being found in the Thames. Though parasites were also found in the whale’s stomach, Mr Deaville said vets did not believe this was significant. Minke whales are the smallest of the great whales and can grow up to 10m in length. Mr Deaville said he believed the number of whales found in the river had increased over recent years. “It could be because there are increased numbers of them or it’s man-made impacts. The jury is still out,” he said. The samples taken from the whale will not only help establish what happened to the creature, but will provide research material “for years to come”. “We’re going to learn a lot about it - it’s life and the species as a whole,” he said. Image credit: SKY News

International Travel

Scott Morrison's "misleading figures" a "new low"

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been accused of giving extremely misleading figures about the number of Australians stranded overseas. On September 18th, Morrison promised that all 26,800 Australians would be brought home for Christmas, but the department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that only 14,000 have returned to Aussie shores. Morrison claimed in his press conference yesterday that he brought 35,000 Australians home instead of saying that his government missed the target. "So we are well on the track to deal with the scale of demand that we had at that time," he said. "In fact we have exceeded it, in many respects, with the number of people that have come back." Deputy Labor Leader Kristina Keneally slammed the "misrepresentation" as a "new low". "I think it's important that everyone understands how misleading Scott Morrison was today in his press conference when he spoke about Australians stranded overseas. We need a plan to bring these stranded Aussies home," she wrote on Twitter. In a statement overnight, she said that his figure of 35,000 Aussies being brought home includes people who never registered with DFAT. She said highflyers making overseas trips like Tony Abbott would be included in the figures presented by Mr Morrison as being "stranded" Aussies. "It's hard to comprehend just how low Scott Morrison will go to mislead Australians about his failure to deliver on his promises, but he has set a new low," she said. </div> </div> </div>

News

Sailors rescued from tiny island after writing giant "SOS" in the sand

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Three missing sailors have been found on a tiny island in the western Pacific after a desperate message saying SOS in the sand that was spotted from the air. The men were found on Sunday after they had been missing for three days, and were reportedly "in good health", according to the Australian Defence Ministry. Their call for help was written on the beach of Pikelot Island, 190 kilometres west of where they had set out and was seen by Australian and US aircraft. A ship, the HMAS Canberra, headed to the sailors' aid and a helicopter landed on the beach. The ship brought water and food for the men as well as carrying out identity and health checks. The men were reportedly sailing between the atolls Poluwat and Pulap, a journey of 42 kilometres when they veered off course and ran out of fuel. A Micronesian patrol vessel, FSS Independence, is heading to the island to pick up the men. Canberra's Commanding Officer Captain Terry Morrison said the response by the ship's company to the operation was outstanding. "The ship's company responded to the call and had the ship quickly prepared to support the search and rescue," Captain Morrison said. "In particular, our embarked MRH90 helicopter from No. 808 Squadron and the four armed reconnaissance helicopters from 1st Aviation Regiment were instrumental in the morning search that helped locate the men and deliver supplies and confirm their welfare. "I am proud of the response and professionalism of all on board as we fulfil our obligation to contribute to the safety of life at sea wherever we are in the world." Photo credit: Australian Department of Defence </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

"I want my baby back:" Aussie Mum flies to COVID hotspot to rescue stranded toddler

A Melbourne mother is on a mission to get out of Australia to be reunited with her 20-month-old daughter. While hundreds of Australians await stranded in India pleading to return home, Swetha Maram is going the other way. "I am feeling so happy," Ms Maram explainer to the ABC, while she waited to board her flight. "I want my baby, to hold her in my hands. It's been more than five months now." Ms Maram took her daughter Naomika to India in January so she could spend some time with her grandparents there. She returned to Australia for work and had planned to head back to Bangalore to collect her daughter. However in March, India closed their borders which left her baby girl stranded in another country away from her mother. "We requested the Government to approve any one of my family members to get my baby back to Australia. But they didn't agree to that," she said. While India reopened their borders after reporting a surge of only 1000 cases, they were forced to close again after 20,000 cases reported in just a week. While Ms Maram is allowed to return to India, there will be no way home in the foreseeable future. She says she is leaving behind her husband and son in Australia while she goes to rescue Naomika. "I'm facing a difficult situation of not having my wife with me. I'm a bit worried and scared," her husband Sunil Maram said. "I'm very much concerned about the number of increasing infections in India. I don't know when it's going to come to an end." The flight Ms Maram boarded to Bangalore is not an official repatriation flight and is one of two charter flights that is helping some of the 6,000 Indians who became stranded in Australia when the pandemic restrictions occurred. Arun Sharma, one of the flight organisers, says some of the passengers had been in Australia for a variety of reasons and were caught off guard by India's sudden lockdown. "Tourism, education, meeting their families. Unfortunately they got stuck. Some of them have very emotional stories," Mr Sharma said.

Family & Pets

Parents plead to be reunited with stranded son

The parents of an Australian-born toddler have pleaded with federal authorities to allow them to reunite with their son, who is stranded in India. Joy and Jashan have not seen their son Arhaan since he travelled overseas with his grandparents on February 29. Following his departure, the Australian government introduced coronavirus travel measures which prevented non-citizens from entering the country. Then India shut its international borders, meaning that Arhaan’s parents are unable to bring him to Australia. Joy, an Australian citizen, told <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/distraught-parents-of-toddler-stranded-in-india-want-their-son-back/ar-BB14Xrco?li=AAgfYrC">9News</a> he had applied for an exemption twice to allow Arhaan’s grandparents to bring the toddler home, and was denied on both occasions by the Department of Home Affairs. “We’ve tried a lot, but we’ve failed,” said Jashan. “We contacted government agencies, Australian High Commission back in India, no help at all,” Joy said. “We just want our son back, that’s all.” On Wednesday evening, the Australian Border Force told the outlet it will grant an exemption to Joy’s mother only. “The ABF may require and request additional supporting evidence when considering a case and this is what occurred for this particular case,” the agency said in a statement. John Hourigan, national president of the Migration Institute of Australia, said there have been “inconsistencies” in the way applications have been granted. “From what we’re seeing there is inconsistency being applied,” Hourigan told <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/migrants-in-australia-face-months-of-separation-from-family-after-being-denied-exemptions-to-travel-bans">SBS News</a>. “Some people are getting permission to travel, others aren’t.” Last month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison international travel would remain on hold for “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-08/international-travel-still-banned-coronavirus-restrictions/12229114">the foreseeable future</a>”. International flights to and from India remain suspended until June 30.

Family & Pets

“Hell” for Aussies aboard cruise ship stranded off South America

Sue and Mort Leburn from the Gold Coast were two of the 129 other Australians on board the virus riddled Zaandam cruise ship which is currently isolated in waters off South America. Over 150 of their fellow travellers are showing flu-like symptoms but the ship was denied docking at several points. It wasn’t until Monday that they were taken off the plagued ship, which has seen four deaths from COVID-19, and transferred to its sister ship the MS Rotterdam. Mr Leburn is undergoing cancer treatment but aside from that the couple are in good health and not experiencing any symptoms of coronavirus. However, they feel unsupported and forgotten due to the lack of information being given by the Australian Government. “We’ve been in strict isolation since 22nd March. We’ve been outside once for half an hour [and] we only open our cabin door for meals three times a day,” they told 9News. “Other than that we don’t have any contact with other people apart from through social media or our friends that are on the boat that we can ring up. “We haven’t had a great deal of advice from the government, we’ve looked on the smart traveler website and contacted our state and federal MPs who sent us replies but they have been fairly generic,” said Ms Elburn. Their son Colin waved them goodbye a month ago from Queensland, and doesn't know when he'll get to see his parents again. He says they had already encountered difficulties as they tried to come from Chile. “They were supposed to dock somewhere in Chile. But the Chilean Government denied them after they had gone out of their way to get there,” he said. “Then they were told midnight, then midnight came and [they were told] no you can’t dock.” The current plan for those aboard the Rotterdam is to disembark in the United States. But Colin is anxious about the roadblocks his parents may encounter in their attempt to return home. "They keep getting hand-balled around from person to person and when you're on board a boat with extremely slow internet and limited access that's the other thing... you can't just pick up the phone and call people," he said. "I think what it comes down to is communication, and Mum and Dad just want to communicate with our Government to find out what's happening and are they going to be able to come home. "We're really lucky they've been given safe passage through the Panama canal so that was the next thing I was really worried about for Mum and Dad that they were going to get denied access. "Now we don't know what's going to happen once they get to America."It is understood passengers who were showing signs of COVID-19 remain on the Zaandam cruise ship which Colin described as a "floating coffin". "I feel for the poor people that are left aboard the Zaandam because there on a floating coffin basically and the Government is doing nothing to help them," Colin Elburn said.

Cruising

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

NASA astronauts stranded in space

Missing couple found dead in stranded lifeboat

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

"Worst experience of our lives": Aussies break silence after being stranded by cruise ship

The key decision that led to cruise passengers being abandoned by ship

Dramatic rescue of hikers stranded overnight in Alpine Region

Passengers stranded after three-year cruise abruptly cancelled

Why can’t we just tow stranded whales and dolphins back out to sea?

Tragic and eerie images emerge after 51 whales stranded on WA beach

"It's okay, we will see sissy soon": Athena Strand's mother shares heartbreak

"It was a nightmare": 11-year-old kicked off Jetstar flight and left "stranded"

Stranded opera singer busks to earn cash after cancelled flights

Rowdy passengers stranded in Mexico by airlines

Stranded three-year-old to be reunited with his parents

Sad end to stranded baby whale

Scott Morrison's "misleading figures" a "new low"

Sailors rescued from tiny island after writing giant "SOS" in the sand

"I want my baby back:" Aussie Mum flies to COVID hotspot to rescue stranded toddler

Parents plead to be reunited with stranded son

“Hell” for Aussies aboard cruise ship stranded off South America

Our Partners