Persian Journal Iran News
Iran Air plane emergency landings in Athens, Rome
Aug 13, 2004, 07:58
An Iranian Airbus 310 from the national flag carrier Iran Air had to make two separate emergency landings in Athens and Rome late Thursday for what has been reported as engine failure. Athens airport officials told IRNA that the Iran Air plane had delivered passengers at the airport at 13:55 local time, and had accordingly taken off for Madrid.
However, they said, the plane had to land again 10 minutes later after developing a failure in one of its engines.
Furthermore, Chief of Iran Air office in Madrid Ali-Akbar Amiri said although the failure had been removed in Athens, the plane had tomake a second emergency landing in Rome after the pilot noticed an engine malfunction.
Amiri said this happened two hours after the plane -- which had 102 passengers and 17 crew aboard -- took off from Athens Airport. He added that all the passengers and the crew of the plane are nharmed, and have been transferred to a hotel in Rome until the failure is removed.
http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/printer_3289.shtml
In my paranoid mind, I can envision this malfunctioning Iranian plane having a malfunction that steers it into the Olympic stadium or the Vatican. Nah, never mind on that one. It could never happen.
China ‘threatening’ Asia’s security
TAIPEI: China is threatening Asia’s security by aiming missiles at Taiwan, boosting military spending and preparing for a possible conflict with US and Japanese forces, Taiwan’s leader said on Saturday.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_15-8-2004_pg4_6
795 Flights into Athens Yesterday
Noting air security somewhat under pressure with that amount of flights over what was projected - see snip below:
The Athens international airport is also in a state of readiness in terms of security and measures to handle vastly increased air traffic, including more than 500 flights daily for 48 hours before the Olympic opening ceremony and the day of the closing event at the end of August.