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United Airlines Flight Makes Safe Landing Despite Missing External Panel
A United Airlines flight that departed from San Francisco International Airport on Friday morning experienced a harrowing incident when it landed in Oregon missing an external panel, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plane, identified as a Boeing 737-800, safely landed at Rogue Valley International Medford Airport in Oregon, and parked at a gate where the missing panel was discovered, United Airlines confirmed in a statement. The exact time and circumstances of when the panel went missing remain unclear.
Remarkably, despite the missing panel, the airline reported that there was no visible damage to the aircraft during the flight, and the pilots did not need to declare an emergency as they made their approach to the Medford airport.
United Airlines reassured the public by stating, “We’ll conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service. We’ll also conduct an investigation to better understand how this damage occurred.”
The flight had a total of 139 passengers and a crew of six onboard, and fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the missing panel incident. The aircraft involved had been in service for over 25 years and belonged to an older generation of Boeing 737 planes, as noted by Airfleets.net, a website specializing in aircraft information.
Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, directed inquiries about the incident to United Airlines, while the FAA announced plans to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the missing panel.
The incident comes amidst heightened scrutiny on Boeing following a recent event where a door-sized section dislodged from a Boeing 737 Max 9 Alaska Airlines flight shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon in January. While there were no severe injuries in that incident, the alarming event prompted government authorities to review Boeing’s quality control practices.
Following the January incident, the FAA initiated a six-week audit of Boeing, during which they discovered “multiple instances” of the aircraft manufacturer failing to adhere to quality-control standards.
The aviation industry has witnessed several other incidents involving Boeing aircraft in recent months. In March, a United Airlines flight skidded off the taxiway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston after landing, resulting in the plane entering the grassy area. The aircraft involved was also a Boeing 737.
In February, an American Airlines flight bound for Madrid, operating a Boeing 777, made an unexpected diversion to Boston Logan International Airport due to a cracked windshield shortly after departing from JFK International Airport in New York.
News
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Protesters reach an agreement to dismantle encampment
Protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have agreed to end their pro-Palestinian encampment following an agreement reached with the school, university officials announced on Sunday. The encampment, which had been in place for two weeks, will be dismantled by Tuesday, marking the end of what was believed to be the last standing encampment at a Wisconsin college.
University officials had allowed the encampment to remain on a patch of lawn between Mitchell Hall and a busy thoroughfare on the campus’s southern boundary, opting not to involve law enforcement. This approach differed from the response at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where police were called in to remove tents after negotiations fell through. Despite initial efforts to disband the encampment, Wisconsin-Madison eventually reached an agreement with protesters to voluntarily dismantle the camp prior to commencement ceremonies.
Chancellor Mark Mone of Wisconsin-Milwaukee stated last Wednesday that the university had exhibited “the widest possible amount of patience and restraint.” However, he also cautioned that patience was wearing thin and hinted at potential action by the school. Following discussions with the UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition, the university agreed to advocate for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, condemn the destruction of schools and universities in Gaza by Israeli forces, and hold meetings with protest leaders regarding university investments.
Additionally, the university pledged to urge the Water Council, a Milwaukee organization of water technology companies, to sever connections with two Israeli government-owned entities, Mekorot and the Israel Innovation Authority. Chancellor Mone serves as the treasurer on the Water Council’s board of directors.
In return for these commitments, the protesters agreed to dismantle the encampment beginning on Sunday and completing the process by Tuesday. They also agreed not to disrupt the university’s commencement ceremonies scheduled for Sunday. In a statement, the protesters expressed their satisfaction with the agreement, stating, “After hard fought edits and careful consideration by the coalition, we determined we had obtained all possible benefits from the encampment.”
The resolution of the encampment at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represents a successful outcome of negotiations between university officials and protesters. By reaching a compromise that addresses the concerns of both parties, a peaceful resolution has been achieved, allowing for the encampment to be taken down without incident.