Passenger plane lands safely in New Zealand after fire shuts down engine
Wellington (AP): A passenger plane landed safely at a New Zealand airport on Monday after a fire shut down one of its engines, the nation’s fire service said.
The Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 jet bound for Melbourne, Australia, with 67 passengers and six crew members on board landed in the New Zealand city of Invercargill after the fire forced a diversion. The incident may have resulted from “a possible bird strike,” the airline’s chief operations officer, Stuart Aggs, said in an emailed statement.
Flames were seen shortly after the plane took off from Queenstown Airport. No further information about what happened at the time of the incident was known, said Catherine Nind, an airport spokesperson.
“At this time, we are not aware of any physical injuries to guests or crew,” Aggs said. Passengers will be accommodated in Invercargill overnight and new flights would be arranged, he said.
Queenstown, with a population of 53,000, is popular tourist destination on New Zealand’s South Island, famous for skiing, adventure tourism and alpine vistas.
The rate of birds striking planes at New Zealand’s airports is about four in every 10,000 aircraft movements, the country’s aviation regulator says on its website. The consequences vary in severity depending on where the aircraft is hit, the size of the birds and the pilot’s reaction, the Civil Aviation Authority says.
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LIC warns Policyholders about unofficial policy acquisitions
Mumbai, June 24, 2024: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has issued a notice to its policyholders in light of recent news articles and publications about some entities offering to acquire LIC policies. These acquisitions, presented as an alternative to surrendering policies to LIC, have raised concerns among policyholders.
LIC clarified that it is not associated with any such entities or the products and services they offer. Any statements made by former LIC employees or personnel regarding these entities are personal opinions, and LIC disclaims any responsibility for them.
The notice emphasized that any sale, transfer, or assignment of LIC policies must comply with the Insurance Act, 1938, particularly Section 38. LIC reserves the right to refuse any such transactions if it believes they are not genuine, not in the policyholder's best interest, not in public interest, or intended for trading insurance policies.
LIC urged all policyholders to exercise caution before making decisions about their policies, which could jeopardize their financial security and the risk cover for their families. They advised consulting LIC officials at their branches before responding to any such offers.
LIC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and protecting its policyholders' interests. For further information, policyholders can contact the Executive Director (CC) at LIC's Central Office in Mumbai via email at ed_cc@licindia.com or visit their website at www.licindia.in.
