CAN tourist flight from Cuba loses tail rudder, land in FL not allowed

[confludemocrat]

Radio Canada and TV is reporting. Has to return to Cuba with 200 passengers. Later Airport Authorities in Ft. Lauderdale claim they were never asked for permission to land! B.S. of course. The downward spiral of this countries decency continues in every realm.

[MaineDem]

1. Link?? (nt)

[confludemocrat]

2. Just saw on TV5

[HereSince1628]

4. Are you getting TV5 via satellite or Cable?

Just wondering because SO would like TV5, but our local cable providers aren't carrying it, and the satellite folks at dumb when asked about it.

[kilgore65]

10. You can get TV5 on DISH, but you have to have two satellite dishes...

so it ends up being rather expensive and possible unpleasing aesthetically...

[MaineDem]

3. Here's a link but it happened on Sunday

I'm not sure this is LBN

http://www.reuters.ca/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp?type=businessNews&localeKey=en_CA&storyID=7830447

Air Transat said Flight 961 from Varadero to Quebec City, which had 261 passengers and nine crew on board the Airbus A310, had to return to Varadero about 30 minutes after takeoff on Sunday afternoon because of a mechanical failure.

"Preliminary observations indicate that a portion of the rudder detached from the aircraft as the flight was progressing under normal conditions at its cruising altitude," Air Transat said in a statement.

The flight landed without incident or injury in Varadero, a beach resort area 140 km (88 miles) east of Havana. Passengers were to be flown to Quebec City on Monday.

[Cuban_Liberal]

5. Proof that they asked for permission to land?

...

[Mika]

6. This is not the first time

I remember a couple of years ago a similar incident occurred with another Canadian plane. The pilots had requested an emergency landing (I can't remember if it was Ft Lauderdale or W. Palm Beach airport) and were told NO by Fla ATC. The plane had to turn around and land at Havana.

Denying an emergency landing request is a violation of international aviation law.

But, we clearly know who the rouge nation is now.

[Cuban_Liberal]

7. Do we have any proof that they requested to land?

...

[starwolf]

8. I too would like to see proof of this claim

All tower comms are taped and there are other aircraft on the frequency. If the pilot had declared an emergency and was refused other pilots would have heard it and it would be all over the aviaiton community, which is alreadly prickly about the way ATC is being done in south FL. A much more likely explination is that he requested permission to divert which can denied.

[KurtNYC]

9. Is this any way to repay Canada?

On September 11, 2001, 252 international flights carrying over
43,000 dazed and frightened passengers were suddenly grounded
in Canada. Many landed in places they'd never heard of: Gander,
Goose Bay, Moncton. Most were Americans who were supposed to be
headed home. Stranded Yanks tells their stories.

This documentary combines footage from those harrowing days
with detailed personal accounts, compelling photos, home video
and powerful reunions as it documents the five-day period from
September 11 to September 16, when strangers became neighbors
and a friendship between nations grew even stronger.

"Seeing the way you have pulled together to help my fellow Americans
left me trembling and in tears. My heart is overwhelmed at the
outpouring of Canadian compassion to stranded Americans. How does
a person say 'Thank you' to a nation?"

http://gallery.bcentral.com/GID4271017P2880384-History-Biography/Stranded-Yanks-A-Diary-Between-Friends/Stranded-Yanks-A-Diary-Between-Friends-VHS.aspx

How to say 'thank you'? How about accomodating emergency landings.