All articles tagged with #cargo planes
The UPS cargo plane that crashed was a 34-year-old MD-11, a model still in use due to its long lifespan and the nature of cargo operations, which are less affected by fuel efficiency concerns. The crash does not appear to be related to the aircraft's age, and the MD-11, originally introduced in 1991 and converted to a freighter in 2006, remains in service with several cargo carriers despite being largely phased out of passenger service.
Western officials have linked a series of fires at European cargo hubs in July to a Russian plot aimed at testing methods to plant bombs on US-bound cargo planes. The fires, which occurred at DHL hubs in Germany and England and a site in Poland, involved electric massagers with flammable substances. Arrests have been made in Lithuania and Poland, with suspects tied to Russian intelligence. The US has increased air cargo screening, and no injuries were reported. Russia denies the allegations, calling them unsubstantiated.
European security officials have linked suspected Russian operatives to a plot involving smuggling incendiary devices onto a cargo plane in Germany, potentially as a trial for future attacks on North America-bound aircraft. An international investigation revealed that the plotters also sent test packages without flammable contents to U.S. and Canadian addresses to check delivery success.
A cargo plane belonging to Atlas Air Worldwide experienced an engine malfunction shortly after takeoff from Miami International Airport, but managed to safely land back at the airport around 11:03 p.m. The plane was seen with a "trail of sparks" as it descended, and officials confirmed that the engine had caught on fire. Despite this, the crew followed standard operating procedures and ensured that nobody was injured during the incident. The cause of the malfunction is under investigation, and the airline stated that they will conduct a thorough inspection to determine the cause.