A team of British experts yesterday began a review of Hong Kong's air traffic control system after a series of scares in the territory's air space.
The five-day review will examine aspects of the system, including organizational structure, operational procedures, manning and training. It will also look at the way Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department (CAD) investigates incidents.
CAD commissioned the review, which follows four airspace incidents in the past four months that have resulted in the suspension of five air traffic controllers.
In the latest, on Nov. 15, a Cathay Pacific A330 carrying 151 passengers and crew and a Philippine Airlines Boeing 737 flew within 152 vertical meters of each other, forcing the pilots to take corrective actions.
In October, a Dragonair Airbus and a China International Airlines Boeing 737 passed within 334m of each other as the Airbus prepared to land at Hong Kong airport.
In late August, a Cathay Pacific cargo plane was forced to abort its landing when the pilot realized it was heading toward a passenger jet on the runway below.
On Aug. 8, a Dragonair Airbus and a China Southern Boeing 757 passed within 170m of each other soon after both planes took off.
A CAD report to Hong Kong's legislature said there had been 28 air traffic incidents in the previous two years. Fifteen were caused by inappropriate air traffic control instructions, the report said.
The incidents have caused growing disquiet over the standards of air traffic control in the territory.
A CAD spokesman yesterday denied a direct link between the incidents and the review, saying the inspection was being carried out with the aim of enhancing operational safety and ensuring a high quality of standards.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol yesterday declared emergency martial law, accusing the opposition of being “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime” amid parliamentary wrangling over a budget bill. “To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness, I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in a live televised address to the nation. “With no regard for the livelihoods of the people, the opposition party has paralysed governance solely for the sake of impeachments, special investigations, and shielding their leader from justice,” he
CHINA: The activities come amid speculation that Beijing might launch military exercises in response to Lai’s recent visit to Pacific allies The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said China had nearly doubled the number of its warships operating around the nation in the previous 24 hours, ahead of what security sources expect would be a new round of war games. China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organize military drills around the nation in response to President William Lai’s (賴清德) recent visit to Pacific allies, including stops in Hawaii and Guam, a US territory. Lai returned from the week-long trip on Friday night. Beijing has held two rounds of war games around Taiwan this year, and sends ships and military planes
PLA MANEUVERS: Although Beijing has yet to formally announce military drills, its coast guard vessels have been spotted near and around Taiwan since Friday The Taiwanese military is on high alert and is closely monitoring the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) air and naval deployments after Beijing yesterday reserved seven airspace areas east of its Zhejiang and Fujian provinces through Wednesday. Beijing’s action was perceived as a precursor to a potential third “Joint Sword” military exercise, which national security experts said the PLA could launch following President William Lai’s (賴清德) state visits to the nation’s three Pacific allies and stopovers in Hawaii and Guam last week. Unlike the Joint Sword military exercises in May and October, when Beijing provided detailed information about the affected areas, it
Five flights have been arranged to help nearly 2,000 Taiwanese tourists return home from Okinawa after being stranded due to cruise ship maintenance issues, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced yesterday. China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) have arranged five flights with a total of 748 additional seats to transport 1,857 passengers from the MSC Bellissima back to Taiwan, the ministry said. The flights have been scheduled for yesterday and today by the Civil Aviation Administration, with the cruise operator covering all associated costs. The MSC Bellissima, carrying 4,341 passengers, departed from Keelung on Wednesday last week for Okinawa,
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