AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

EDM Wednesday Briefing: Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Madrid

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air canada madrid airport Arsenault

Emergency and disaster management briefing for February 5, 2020: Two U.S. airlines have suspended flights to Hong Kong amid the ongoing outbreak of the 2019-nCoV; Colorado received a FEMA grant to make improvements to a dam in Breckenridge classified as high-hazard; Japanese authorities say 10 people on a cruise ship docked just offshore have tested positive for the coronavirus; an Air Canada flight landed safely in Madrid after declaring an emergency when it experienced engine and gear issues on takeoff; an avalanche in eastern Turkey killed at least 33 people; and another 5.0 earthquake struck just off the south coast of Puerto Rico.

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1) Two U.S. airlines have suspended flights to Hong Kong after a confirmed fatality, while the death toll from the novel coronavirus has reached nearly 500 in China. Most who contract the virus, however, are likely to recover. According to reports, about 80 percent of the those who have died were over the age of 60, and the majority of them had pre-existing conditions. In all, the total number of infected victims in China has risen to about 24,324. Most of the deaths were in the Hubei Province, in and around Wuhan, the city where the outbreak began in late 2019.

2) The state of Colorado was awarded a $10 million dollar grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last week for dam infrastructure repairs. The grant, meant to modify and improve the Goose Pasture Tarn Dam that sits to the south of Breckenridge proper and north of Blue River, was awarded from FEMAs Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program and will cover more than half the costs. The dam is classified as high-hazard, and there would be significant impact to residences, businesses, and other critical infrastructure services, such as the area water supply, should the dam fail.

3) Japanese authorities are working quickly to contain an outbreak of the novel coronavirus onboard a cruise ship anchored just off the coast of Yokohama. Ten passengers who tested positive onboard a Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan have been removed and taken to a hospital. Authorities are waiting for the results of about 100 tests, and tests are still being conducted on other passengers, who could be subject to a 14-day quarantine by Japanese officials.

4) An Air Canada plane was able to land safely in Madrid Monday evening after experiencing an engine issue on takeoff and subsequent gear problems. Flight AK837, a Boeing 767-300 that departed from Aldolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport carrying 128 passengers, declared an emergency shortly after takeoff when the gear door would not close. Allegedly, a blown tire on takeoff damaged the gear and entered the engine, prompting the pilots to declare an emergency and circle for several hours to burn off fuel to be light enough to land. Spain’s Defense Ministry also dispatched a fighter jet to check the damaged Air Canada plane prior to the emergency landing.

5) An avalanche in Turkey has killed at least 33 people and left dozens of other people trapped beneath many feet of snow. Military police and civilians had been working to rescue people trapped by an earlier snow slide, which killed five, when the second avalanche occurred. So far, about 30 people have been recovered from the snow, but officials believe more victims remain trapped.

6) Puerto Rico was struck by another earthquake that was centered just off the island’s south coast, prompting re-inspections of homes, schools, and other buildings. The magnitude 5.0 quake, which struck at a depth of 4.3 miles, was centered 13.6 miles southeast of Guanica, and multiple aftershocks have occurred. The southwestern coastal city of Guayanilla reportedly had damage, which included cracked walls and damage near a municipal pool that was already closed.

 

Kimberly Arsenault serves as an intern at the Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency where she works on plan revisions and special projects. Previously, Kimberly spent 15 years in commercial and business aviation. Her positions included station manager at the former Midwest Express Airlines, as well as corporate flight attendant, inflight manager, and charter flight coordinator. Kimberly currently holds a master's degree in emergency and disaster management from American Public University.

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