2 Planes With the Same Flight Number Create Dangerous Situation Over Phoenix

Some areas of Sicily’s Mount Etna remain closed to hikers following a prolonged period of volcanic activity that caused major flight disruptions at nearby Catania Airport last week.

A 29-year-old man from Kansas died Sunday evening after being struck by lightning while hiking in the Rocca Capra area, at an elevation of about 4,600 feet. Italian firefighters retrieved him by helicopter, but medical personnel later pronounced him dead. Authorities have not released his name. Although access to parts of the volcano has been restricted, officials have not determined whether the man was hiking inside one of the closed areas.

Etna’s recent eruption forced Catania Airport to suspend flights for much of last week, although arrivals and departures resumed Saturday after authorities lowered the volcano’s aviation alert level. Officials also noted that lightning has caused more deaths on Etna in recent decades than volcanic eruptions; the last eruption-related fatalities occurred in 1987.

Read more at the Associated Press.

Wildfires are continuing to disrupt communities and travel across parts of Europe after weeks of exceptionally hot and dry weather.

In eastern Belgium, a massive fire in the High Fens has burned an estimated 30 square kilometers, or about 12 square miles, of Liège province. The blaze remained uncontrolled Monday in terrain that firefighters could not reach, with one active section extending toward the German border. Hundreds of residents remain under precautionary evacuation orders; authorities had previously told roughly 600 people to leave nearby communities and advised tourists to leave the area as well.

In Greece, investigators are examining the cause of a fast-moving Sunday fire on the island of Salamina, west of Athens, that killed two people, injured nine others, and destroyed several homes. A separate wildfire broke out Monday in Spata, the area that includes Athens International Airport, but firefighters contained it within about 30 minutes.

Conditions have improved in southwestern France, where authorities said a four-day wildfire in the Landes region was under control. More than 600 residents had been evacuated, and by Monday about half had been allowed to begin returning home as temperatures declined.

Read more at the Associated Press.

Hawaii is dealing with widespread flooding, power failures, and storm damage after Lala passed the Big Island as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday before weakening to a tropical storm.

More than 183,000 utility customers statewide remained without electricity as of Sunday afternoon, according to figures cited by Reuters. Hawaiian Electric said fallen trees, strong winds, and flooded roads were complicating efforts to restore service. State officials also reported damage to at least 100 homes, while the National Weather Service said two houses had been swept away. At least one person was reported dead following a vehicle-related incident.

The storm also caused significant flight disruptions. Hawaii transportation officials closed Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport on Saturday as Lala approached, but both reopened Sunday following inspections, and all state airports were operating again. Travelers were nevertheless advised to confirm flight status directly with their airlines.

Lala briefly reached hurricane strength Saturday with sustained winds of 75 mph. Forecasters warned that storm-total rainfall could reach 30 to 35 inches in the wettest parts of the windward Big Island, creating a serious risk of flash flooding and landslides.

Read more at Reuters.

An unusual scheduling overlap put two American Airlines jets using the same flight number in the Phoenix area at the same time early Friday, creating a potentially dangerous source of confusion for air traffic control.

Both planes were operating as American Flight 2482. Normally the route travels between Chicago and Phoenix using the same aircraft, but weather delayed the Chicago departure. American sent a second aircraft from Phoenix so the return flight could leave on schedule, meaning the delayed inbound jet and the replacement outbound flight were briefly operating simultaneously under the same identifier.

A Phoenix air traffic controller recognized the duplicate call signs and began distinguishing the aircraft according to whether each was arriving or departing. He kept the inbound jet above the outbound aircraft as their flight paths converged and limited the departing aircraft’s climb so that adequate vertical separation remained between them. Both flights continued without incident.

The Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines are investigating how the overlapping flight numbers were allowed to occur. American said afterward that the pilots and controller maintained the required separation throughout the encounter.

Read more at the Associated Press.

Archaeologists excavating near the Suez Canal have found new evidence that could help settle a century-old debate over the location of the ancient Egyptian city of Masn.

At Tell Abu Seify in Egypt’s Ismailia governorate, an Egyptian archaeological team uncovered part of a large sandstone lintel bearing the royal titles of Ramses II. The inscription also records restoration work on a statue of Horus identified as the deity associated with the city of Masn. The find strengthens the theory that Tell Abu Seify is connected to the city, which is known from Egyptian texts dating back more than 3,000 years.

The identification is not yet settled. Scholars have debated the location of Masn since discoveries at the site in the late 19th century, and earlier research suggested that some artifacts bearing the name could have been brought from nearby Tjaru. If Tell Abu Seify is ultimately confirmed as Masn, the discovery would place the city along the Horus Military Road, the important ancient route linking Egypt with Sinai and Canaan.

Recent excavations have also revealed stone roads, statues, and a large mud-brick enclosure surrounding a temple complex. The site underwent repeated transformations: the temple flourished during the Ptolemaic period, parts were converted into Roman military barracks during the third century C.E., and lime kilns were later constructed over portions of the former sanctuary. Excavations will continue in search of evidence that could conclusively identify the site.

Read more at The National.