And other travel news you may have missed.
This week in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: five divers from Italy lost their lives in the Maldives; a tourist from New Zealand swam in the Trevi Fountain in Rome; another New Zealand traveler was banned by Qantas for causing disruption on a long-haul flight; and, in Japan, two Americans were detained after one climbed a fence to enter Punch the monkey’s enclosure.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
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Japan Detains Americans After Entering Punch the Monkey’s Enclosure
Police in Ichikawa have detained two Americans after one of them climbed over a fence to enter baby macaque Punch’s enclosure while the other filmed the incident. They were arrested on charges of obstructing the zoo’s operations, but have denied the charges.
Punch is an internet sensation; the monkey went viral earlier this year after his mom abandoned him and he latched onto an orangutan toy.
The two men have been identified as 24-year-old student Reid Jahnai Daysun, who climbed the fence, and 27-year-old singer Neal Jabahri Duan, who filmed his companion’s stunt. Videos show a person wearing an emoji head climbing the fence and descending into the enclosure. The space is also home to 40 other macaques, who ran away from the person before zoo officials escorted him away.
The Ichikawa Zoo apologized for the incident and said no abnormalities were observed in the animals.
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Passenger Put on No-Fly List for Allegedly Biting Flight Attendant
Australian carrier Qantas banned a passenger for life after he allegedly bit a flight attendant and caused an emergency landing. The flight was en route to Dallas from Melbourne when the passenger became disruptive. About seven hours in, it was diverted to Tahiti in French Polynesia, where authorities met the plane. After refueling, the flight continued to its destination 35 minutes later.
The man has not been identified, but he was from New Zealand. According to a video uploaded by comedian Mike Goldstein, the passenger had a heated exchange with a flight attendant and appeared to be intoxicated. The biting was not captured.
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Royal Pop Pocket Watch Frenzy Closes Stores Around the World
Several Swatch stores closed this weekend over safety concerns after a pocket watch release caused a frenzy among buyers. The Swiss watchmaker collaborated with luxury manufacturer Audemars Piguet for a pocket watch priced at $400-$420. Crowds lined up hours in advance at stores worldwide, prompting Swatch to close 30 locations, including in New York, Atlanta, Toronto, Paris, London, and Dubai.
The watch company said on its website that people shouldn’t rush to stores and that the collection will be available for several months. “In some countries/regions, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused.”
People waited in line for hours to get the watch, and it is already being sold on eBay for several times the price. It is not a limited-edition collection, so the chaos felt unwarranted.
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Five Italians Die While Diving in the Maldives
Last week, five divers from Italy lost their lives while diving in the caves of the Vaavu Atoll in the Maldives. One body was found at the entrance of the cave on Thursday, while four others were located in the deepest part of the caves on Monday. A senior military search diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, also died from decompression sickness while trying to recover the bodies.
Those lost include marine scientist Monica Montefalcone and her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, a research fellow Muriel Oddenino, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. They were on an expedition on the Duke of York luxury vessel, carrying other passengers who did not participate in the dive.
https://x.com/MNDF_Official/status/2056320784508064234
The caves the group was exploring are 50 meters deep (164 feet)—equivalent to a 16-story building submerged underwater. However, Maldivian regulations prohibit recreational diving below 30 meters (98 feet). Going beyond that threshold requires special equipment, which the group was not carrying. The Maldives suspended the vessel’s license, and an investigation is ongoing.