June 27, 2008
Plane misses destination as both pilots fall asleep
NEW DELHI - AN AIR India flight headed for Mumbai overshot its destination and was halfway to Goa before its dozing pilots were woken out of a deep slumber by air traffic control, a report said.
The high altitude nap took place about two weeks ago, the Times of India newspaper reported yesterday.
Some 100 passengers were on board the state-run flight that originated from Dubai and flew to the western Indian city of Jaipur before heading south to Mumbai when both pilots fell asleep, a source told the paper.
'After operating an overnight flight, fatigue levels peak - and so the pilots dozed off after taking off from Jaipur,' the source, who was not identified, said.
The plane flew to Mumbai on autopilot, but when air traffic there tried to help the aircraft land, the plane ignored their instructions and carried on at full speed towards Goa.
'It was only after the aircraft reached Mumbai airspace that air traffic control realised it was not responding to any instructions and was carrying on its own course,' the source said.
'The aircraft should have begun its descent about 100 miles (160km) from Mumbai, but here it was still at cruising altitude. We checked for hijack.'
Finally, air traffic control buzzed the cockpit and woke up the pilots, who turned the plane around, the report said.
When contacted by the newspaper, Air India said it was gathering information on the incident.
The manager of Mumbai's airport insisted the aircraft had suffered a 'communications failure' and that no napping had taken place.
But sources told the daily that the authorities were trying to hush up the matter.
Indian papers reported this week that a flight operated by private airline Jetlite to the central Indian city of Patna was grounded after the pilot was found to be drunk.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
[Compare with this story below]
June 27, 2008
Cleaner missed stop, punched driver for refusing to turn back
By Khushwant Singh
A CLEANER, who fell asleep on a bus and missed his stop, demanded that the bus head back.
When bus captain Tommy Yong Kah Huat said he could not do this, Muhammad Ilias Syed Ibrahim, 23, punched him twice in the face.
In a district court on Friday, Muhammad Ilias pleaded guilty to fracturing Mr Yong's nose last December.
He was sentenced to nine months in jail and three strokes of the cane. The maximum punishment is seven years' jail and 24 strokes or a fine.
Looking sheepish, Muhammad Ilias admitted to boarding bus service No. 58 near the White Water condominium in Paris Ris at about 3.30pm to go to Kaki Bukit Road on Dec 29.
During the journey, he dozed off and woke up only as the bus was passing Upper Paya Lebar Road.
He started shouting vulgarities at Mr Yong because he was about 2km pass his destination and demanded to alight immediately.
Mr Yong pulled up at the next bus stop but by Muhammad Ilias kept insisting that the bus head back to Kaki Bukit Road.
When told that this was not possible, he attacked Mr Yong.
The bus captain, who was in contact with the SBS control room, was advised to let the other passengers alight.
Muhammad Ilias stayed on the bus and police officers found him 'reeking of alcohol' when he was arrested.
An ambulance took Mr Yong to Changi General Hospital, where he was given three days' medical leave.
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