Latest News
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Dozens Killed After Plane Bursts Into Flames
The Henan Airlines flight came down in the northeastern city of Yichun, Heilongjiang province, at about 2.10pm GMT, state media said.
Dozens of bodies were found where the plane split apart at Yichun airport, city official Jin Yi told the China News Service (CNS).
The other 53 people on board "have all been taken to hospital for treatment, and at present none is in danger of loss of life", the report said, citing Mr Jin.
Their injuries included burns, cuts and broken limbs.
"The plane split apart on grass 1.5km from the runway and a small explosion happened as it did," Sun Bangnan, a deputy chief of police in Heilongjiang.
Other Chinese news reports, citing unnamed witnesses or sources, said the plane began to fall apart or burst into flames before it overshot the runway.
The flight had taken off from Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province.
Rescue teams do not expect to find any further survivors.
"Because some passengers were thrown out of the cabin when the accident happened, their chances of survival are slim," said the official.
Yichun airport is a small domestic airport which opened only last year.
It is one of an increasing number of airports built in remote parts of China to help boost economic development.
Henan Airlines and many other regional Chinese airlines flying shorter routes have struggled in the past few years.
They have been losing passengers to high-speed railroad lines that China has aggressively expanded.
The country's last major civilian plane crash was in northern Inner Mongolia, in 2004.
A CRJ200 operated by China Eastern Airlines came down in a frozen lake shortly after take-off, killing more than 50 people.
Josie wins Big Brother before ex-housemates return
The series Ultimate Big Brother will be the Channel 4 swansong for the reality show format after 11 regular series, seven celebrity editions, one youth version and the 2007 series Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack, which allowed celebrities to set Big Brother-style tasks for young contestants.The former serviceman lost both legs and an eye when a bomb exploded while he was on patrol in Belfast in 1989.
The 18-day series will feature winners and other memorable contestants from the regular series and the celebrity version.
Glamour model and the original non-celebrity winner of Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) 2006 Chantelle Houghton and her one-time husband singer Preston - whom she met during that series - were the first to join Josie in the house.
Boos and cheersPreston said he was looking for "bromance" this time around. He hugged his ex-wife, whom he met on the 2006 show, as soon as he entered although both looked surprised to see each other.
Nadia Almada, the winner of Big Brother 2004, also returned for the extended series.
She was followed by television presenter and 2001 winner Brian Dowling, showbusiness personality and 2009 CBB winner Ulrika Jonsson and racing pundit John McCririck.
US rapper Coolio performed before the crowd outside the house with a customised tune saying he was going to be the "ultimate housemate".
Housemate Makosi Musambasi from the sixth Big Brother series and Nikki Grahame from series seven also entered.
"Nasty" Nick Bateman who was thrown out of the first series of Big Brother in 2000 for trying to influence votes was the final contestant to join the lineup.
Wearing a shirt with the slogan "it's only a gameshow", he was booed by much of the crowd before he went in. He told Davina he would abide by the rules this time.