Latest news with #CorrieredellaSera
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Plane crash in Italy sees jet plunge from sky onto motorway killing two as cars drive through flames
The plane can be seen plummeting in a near-vertical descent before smashing into the tarmac and erupting into flames. Terrifying footage has captured the moment a light aircraft nose-dived into a busy Italian road before exploding into a massive fireball, killing two people. The horror crash unfolded just after midday on Tuesday in Brescia province when the 'ultralight' plane plunged out of the sky, narrowly missing dozens of cars on the Corda Molle, reports the Mirror. In chilling video clips, the plane can be seen plummeting in a near-vertical descent before smashing into the tarmac and erupting into flames. Miraculously, no vehicles were struck, although two cars were engulfed by the fireball as it spread across the motorway. Both drivers managed to keep control of their vehicles, with two motorists treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Traffic on the motorway was halted for hours as emergency crews raced to the scene, extinguishing the blaze and securing the area. Victims of the crash have been named as 75-year-old Milanese lawyer Sergio Ravaglia and his partner Anna Maria De Stefano, 50, who were onboard the aircraft. One shaken eyewitness, Enzo Bregoli, told Corriere della Sera: 'Suddenly, the pilot seemed to lose control. The ultralight spun around and fell straight down onto the road, nose-first. The moment it touched the asphalt, it immediately caught fire. If he had just tried to turn, it could have hit me.' Another driver, Cladio Nolli, described the terrifying moment her car was swallowed by the inferno: 'I saw a burst of flame without understanding what had happened. I crashed into the truck in front of me, passing through the flames. Then there was a loud bang – it was a ball of fire. I never thought something like this could happen to me.' Officials say determining the cause of the crash may prove difficult as 'ultralight' planes are not required to declare their destination before take-off. The aircraft had departed from Gagnano Trebbiense in the Piacenza region shortly before the accident. An investigation into the cause of the crash is now underway.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Italy plane crash: Jet nosedives on motorway killing two as cars drive through flames
The moment a light aircraft suddenly plummeted vertically down and exploded on a busy highway can be seen in startling footage - two people died in the crash in Brescia, Italy Horror footage shows the moment a plane crashed into a busy road and exploded in a fireball. Two people died in the crash on Tuesday, which saw a light aircraft plough nose-first into the ground in Brescia province, Italy. In chilling footage, the plane can be seen rapidly falling to the ground in a steep descent. Miraculously, the aircraft managed to miss all of the cars and other vehicles on the Corda Molle at the time. One car could be seen driving straight through the fireball that spread across the road when the plane hit the ground. Another car also drove through the flames, but neither vehicle lost control. Two motorists were injured with non-life-threatening injuries. Officials investigating the incident involving the 'ultralight' plane have said it will be difficult to determine what caused the crash. The lack of rules for this type of plane meant it did not have to declare its destination when it took off. Investigators will look into if there is a gap in the regulations that meant certain procedures did not have to be followed before the plane embarked on its final journey. Two people onboard the aircraft, a 75-year-old lawyer from Milan named Sergio Ravaglia and his female partner Anna Maria De Stefano, 50, are reported to have died. The crash occurred after midday on Tuesday after taking off from the Gagnano Trebbiense runway in the Piacenza region, Italian broadcasting channel Sky TG24 said. Traffic on the motorway was immediately suspended in both directions for several hours. Fire crews rushed quickly to the scene and were able to extinguish the fire and secure the area. An investigation into the crash is now underway. Eyewitness Enzo Bregoli said they saw the plane flying low, but it did not seem to be in any sort of trouble. According to a translation of their comments to Corriere della Sera, they said: 'Suddenly, the pilot seemed to lose control: the ultralight spun around and fell straight down onto the road, nose-first. If he had just tried to turn, it could have hit me. The moment the aircraft touched the asphalt, it immediately caught fire.' Mr Bregoli said he was "worried" and was around 50 metres behind the plane. He said he crossed into an emergency lane to get away from the fire. Cladio Nolli, 49, was also driving nearby. She said she had entered a ring road close to the crash when flames suddenly erupted in her eye line. 'I entered the ring road and saw a burst of flame, without understanding what had happened,' she said. 'I had a truck in front of me and I crashed into it, passing through the flames. Then there was a loud bang, it was a ball of fire.' She added: 'I never thought something like this could happen to me. At the time, I assumed the truck in front of me had lost something; I had no idea it was a plane. I had seen it in the air before, but I realized later. For twenty seconds, it missed me too."
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Italy's Dolomites are compared to 'Disneyland' after 'influencer invasion' as videos show huge queues inching along mountain trails
Italy's Dolomites have been compared to Disneyland as the beauty spot became overloaded by swarms of selfie-snapping tourists and so-called influencers this week. Images and videos shared on social media shared by furious locals showed crowds of holidaymakers clogging up a cable car station in the Seceda area of the Alpine mountain range, which has become increasingly popular thanks to social media. One particular video shows a lengthy queue of visitors at the station over-spilling onto a nearby cafe, while some tourists are seen blocking a staircase as they wait in line. Another clip showed how a hiking trail came to a standstill as it became overwhelmed by tourists trying to reach the cable car. The video, which was shared on an Instagram page, was captioned: 'Something incredible even just to be told. 'Hours in line waiting for your turn to go up the Seceda to admire the meadows, ridges, the most beautiful mountains of the Alto Adige, being careful not to step on each other's feet, not to clash, to take the selfie as 'freely' possible in the presence of other tourists.' Such is the surge in visitors that the operator of the cable car that takes hikers up to the summit of the Seceda mountain has put in a request to triple the capacity of the chairlift, Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera reports. But recent scenes of overcrowding at the UNESCO World Heritage Site has sparked anger among locals and environmentalists who say large crowds could put wildlife at risk. Images and videos shared on social media shared by furious locals showed crowds of holidaymakers clogging up a cable car station in the Seceda area of the Dolomites One particular video shows a lengthy queue of visitors at the station over-spilling onto a nearby cafe Viral videos on social media platform TikTok have pointed out the realities of visiting the Dolomites region This is not the first time that images of overcrowding at the tourist hotspot have caused controversy online. Viral videos on social media platform TikTok have pointed out the realities of visiting the Dolomites region, depicting how visits to its beautiful landscapes are usually interrupted by large crowds of tourists and so-called influencers. One video shared earlier this month taken by a hiker at the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint showed a shot of the stunning Italian peaks with the words 'Expectation' written over clip. But the video then pans out to show a massive line of tourists stuck on a hiking trail as the words 'Reality' appear on the screen. The account that shared the video to the social platform wrote in the caption: 'Waited 1.5 hours for a rushed shot so we didn't hold up the line'. Another video taken at the same viewpoint showed a similar scene, with tourists seen waiting in line to take pictures of the backdrop. A separate clip shows the extent of the popularity of the Dolomites as dozens of tourists stand on the bank of a lake, tripods and cameras in hand, as they scramble to take snaps of the breathtaking scenery. The recent social media outcry over mass tourism in the Dolomites comes after a local farmer proposed an initiative to charge visitors a fee of five euros to enter the trails of the Puez Odle Nature Park. A TikTok video showed a huge queue of tourists lining up at a viewpoint to take snaps of the breathtaking landscapes A separate clip shows dozens of tourists standing on the bank of a lake, tripods and cameras in hand, as they scramble to take snaps of the breathtaking scenery Recent scenes of overcrowding at the UNESCO World Heritage Site has sparked anger among locals and environmentalists Recent condemnation of overtourism at the Italian mountain range comes after anti-tourist protesters targeted ski resorts over the winter While the measure has not been introduced, several locals have backed the proposal as they see it as a way stop visitors from littering and disrupting the environment. Commenting on the proposal, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club Carlo Alberto Zanella said in a social media post: 'One of the most photographed trails in the Dolomites, invaded by influencers, YouTubers, and Instagrammers. 'A tacky tourism that has led to people lying down with towels on the grass that never grows back and ruining nature for a selfie sponsored by influencers who give random advice without knowing the true beauty of our mountains', he added. Recent condemnation of overtourism at the Italian mountain range comes after anti-tourist protesters targeted ski resorts over the winter, with Italian locals branded the words 'too much' in bright red letters atop a snowy mountain. The red slogan, which was deliberately placed under a ski lift, appeared at Alpe Di Siusi ski resort in the Dolomites back in February. The graffiti was a move made by angry locals who had been growing increasingly impatient over the masses of tourists hitting the slopes during the peak winter season. Brigitte Foppa, councillor of the European Greens party, said tourism in the area was 'a continuous growth' that has been 'underestimated for years'. 'They told us that we were we are paying the price, the wound in society has opened', she warned. The impacts of mass-tourism have been largely documented in recent years File photo: Santa Magdalena village, idyllic Dolomites landscape in South Tyrol, Italian Alps But it was not the firms time residents protested against the growing number of visitors in the area. Last summer, locals painted a preferential lane with the word 'priority' in the asphalt, after commuters had raised concerns that the masses of tourists had clogged up access to cable cars, causing them delays. The impacts of mass-tourism have been largely documented in recent years. Last summer, an anti-tourist movement ravaged through Europe, with angry locals protesting the economic and social disruptions caused by foreign visitors. Spain saw a particularly large number of demonstrations across the mainland as well as its Canary and Balearic islands. Actions included marches on the street with protesters chanting 'tourists go home', as well as demonstrations on beaches which saw locals boo and jeer at sun-soaked tourists. Anti-tourist protests have continued into this summer.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Venice gangs using young children to steal from tourists
But criminal gangs are cleverly exploiting a legal loophole and recruiting thieves as young as 12 or 13. Those under the age of 14 escape criminal prosecution. Police chiefs say gangs have turned away from using pregnant women – who can be prosecuted – and instead turned their attention on children. But even when the youngsters are caught and sent to a community centre for the night, they escape within hours, according to Marco Agosti, the commander of the Venice local police. Many of the pickpockets are known to police. Frustrated local activists catch them tailing their victims and later post their images on social media, as well as their names or nicknames such as 'Shakira', 'Mika' or 'Dodu'. 'I didn't feel a thing, they were invisible,' said one 50-year old British victim, who did not want to be named. She was targeted during the city's annual Carnevale festivities in February. 'I didn't realise my wallet was gone until I arrived at the railway station.' Local and national Carabinieri police say they have apprehended more than 150 alleged thieves since the beginning of the year and filled 15 large bags of stolen bags and empty wallets at the town hall. The victims are mostly foreigners and they hardly ever come to the hearing Despite more than 800 police cameras conducting surveillance across the World Heritage listed city, police say they are hamstrung by legal loopholes that allow criminal gangs to exploit the 'baby borseggiatori' (or baby pickpockets) as well as the transient nature of their crimes. 'Pickpocketing is only actionable on a party's complaint and if the robbed person does not show up for trial, the complaint is thrown out,' Gianni Frazoi, the deputy commander of Venice police, told newspaper Corriere della Sera. 'The victims are mostly foreigners and they hardly ever come to the hearing. And so there are no trials and no convictions.' Venice police said 41 people had been caught pickpocketing or arrested between January and May this year but there had been more arrests in June and July. In the first two weeks of May, police arrested 11 pickpockets. All were minors but five could not be prosecuted under Italian law because they were under the age of 14. Commandant Agostini rejected suggestions Venice was any worse than Italy's other tourist hotspots such as Milan, Rome, Florence or Naples. But he did say it was sometimes difficult to get a conviction under Italian law, citing the recent arrest of an alleged Venetian burglar known as 'The Grasshopper' for leaping from one building to another and who has been in and out of jail for his alleged break-ins. Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro is calling for an immediate change to the law and broader police powers.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Religious leaders visit Gaza in wake of fatal church bombing
The strike drew condemnation from Pope Leo and US president Donald Trump, and prompted a statement of regret from Israel, which said it was a mistake. Since ending a ceasefire in March, Israel has regularly launched far deadlier strikes across Gaza against what it says are Hamas militants, frequently killing women and children. Strikes killed 18 people overnight, health officials said yesterday. Pope Leo renewed his call for negotiations to bring an end to the 21-month war in a phone call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, the Vatican said. The religious delegation to Gaza included two patriarchs from Jerusalem – Latin patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox patriarch Theophilos III. The rare visit aimed to express the 'shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land', a statement said. Israel has restricted access to Gaza since the start of the war, though church leaders have entered on previous occasions, usually to mark major holidays. Cardinal Pizzaballa, the highest ranking Catholic official in Jerusalem, said in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera daily that a Catholic presence would remain in Gaza 'whatever happens'. He expressed doubts about Israel's comments that the strike was a mistake. 'We are not a target. They say it was an error, even if everybody here believes it wasn't,' the cardinal said. The delegation visited the Holy Family Church, whose compound was damaged in the shelling. They were also organising convoys carrying food, medical supplies and other equipment to the territory – which has been pushed to the brink of famine by Israel's war and military offensive – as well as the evacuation of those wounded in the church strike. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Cardinal Pizzaballa's Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement that the religious leaders brought 'hundreds of tonnes of food supplies, as well as first aid kits and urgently needed medical equipment'. The aid is meant not only for Gaza's small Christian community, but for 'as many families as possible', the patriarchate said, adding that it also ensured the evacuation of those injured in the church strike. In his call with Mr Netanyahu, Pope Leo 'expressed again his concern over the dramatic humanitarian situation for the population in Gaza, with children, the elderly and the sick paying the most heartbreaking price', the Vatican said in a statement. An Israeli official who spoke anonymously confirmed that Mr Netanyahu had placed the call, and said that the Vatican's account was accurate. In an earlier statement, the Pope had 'repeated his intentions to do everything possible to stop the useless slaughter of innocent people' and condemned 'the unjustifiable attack' on the church. The Vatican said the Pope had also received an update on the condition of Fr Gabriel Romanelli, the resident priest at the church, who was lightly wounded. The priest had regularly spoken by phone with Pope Francis, who died in April, telling the pontiff about the struggles faced by civilians in Gaza. Mr Netanyahu released a statement Thursday saying Israel 'deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church'. The Israeli military said it was still investigating. Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. They are still under the rubble. Until now we are unable to get them out, even in small pieces Israeli strikes killed at least 18 Palestinians overnight and into yesterday. One strike hit a home in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing four members of the same family, according to morgue records at Nasser Hospital. Associated Press footage of the aftermath of the strike showed people digging through the rubble in search of remains. 'They are still under the rubble,' said Belal Abu Sahloul, a relative of those killed. 'Until now we are unable to get them out, even in small pieces.' At the hospital, a mother could be seen holding the hand of her daughter, who had been killed in one of the other strikes and placed in a body bag. Nearly 18,000 Palestinian children have been killed since the start of the war, according to Gaza's health ministry. Israel's military said it was 'operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities' and that it takes 'feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm'. Nasser Hospital said another three people were killed while heading toward an aid site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli-backed American contractor. A spokesperson for the foundation said there was no violence at its sites overnight and that crowds were 'docile'. Since the group's operations began in late May, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in shootings by Israeli soldiers while on roads heading to the sites, according to witnesses and health officials. GHF's four sites are all in military-controlled zones. The Israeli military has said its troops have only fired warning shots to control crowds. There was no comment from the military on the latest deaths. Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – in the October 7 attack, and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 58,600 Palestinians according to Gaza's health ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, but is led by medical professionals. The UN and other international organisations consider its figures to be the most reliable count of war casualties.
