Mangaluru bound Air India Express flight yet to leave from Dammam Airport after over 18-hour delay
Mangaluru: Passengers bound for Mangaluru were left stranded and frustrated as an Air India Express flight scheduled to depart from Dammam International Airport faced extensive delays, lasting over 18 hours. The flight, initially set for takeoff at 10:20 pm on Wednesday night, had yet to depart by Thursday evening, prompting complaints from travelers who alleged a lack of communication from the airline.
According to passengers, Air India Express notified them of the flight's cancellation around midnight, promising a rescheduled departure on Thursday morning at 11 am. This unexpected announcement led to significant inconvenience for weary passengers who had been waiting at the airport.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, one passenger revealed the challenges they faced in arranging accommodation, particularly for those who had traveled from distant locations to catch the flight. The airline reportedly failed to provide any assistance, including arrangements for food or accommodation.
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Adding to the ordeal, passengers arriving at the airport on Thursday morning were allowed to board the flight. However, after half an hour on board, they were unexpectedly deboarded, with the flight experiencing further delays. Passengers claimed that, as of 3 pm (Saudi time), authorities had not provided any updates on the status of their flight.
Expressing frustration, passengers highlighted the lack of responsiveness from Air India Express officials, who allegedly did not address inquiries about the prolonged delay. The situation left women, children, senior citizens, and patients waiting without proper provisions for over 18 hours.
The route from Dammam to Mangaluru is popular among individuals from Coastal Karnataka and neighboring Kerala due to the direct flight connection between the two airports. Vartha Bharati's attempts to reach Air India Express authorities for comments were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. The news will be updated upon receiving an official statement from Air India Express.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
