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Stranded Russian plane to be removed by ship in August
A Russian plane carrying tourists that crash landed near the Barneo ice camp at 89 degrees latitude north in early April remains stranded there and won’t be removed until it is transported aboard an icebreaker in August, according the company chartering the flight. Photo of the Antonov An-74 aircraft show damage to the chassis, including a cracked hull, and the initial plan to send a crew to the site to repair and fly the plane out was abandoned. “They didn’t want to risk any more happening,” said Margarita Tertitskaja of the Russian company Polar Expedition, which chartered the plane from the Moscow-based airline Shar Ink. “The plane looks OK on the outside, but they did not want to take the chance that there could be other undiscovered damage.” The exact cause and location of the accident has not been publicly revealed, but a passenger who requested anonymity said visibility was poor at the time.
Police seeking culprit who dumped trash at Hotellneset
Tips on who is responsible for dumping a load of trash consisting of pallets and demolition materials on the beach at Hotellneset on Tuesday are being sought by The Governor of Svalbard. “Someone went to the place, backed a car down the beach and threw it out,” said Police Chief Lt. Thor-Arild Hansen. He said the dumping apparently occurred during the afternoon or early evening. He said officials are giving the culprit an opportunity to remove the trash, but have papers and other material they will investigate if nobody comes forward.
Police to keep sharper eye on unsafe drivers at airport
Two taxi drivers received verbal warnings for driving at excessively high speeds at Svalbard Airport while police officers for The Governor of Svalbard were on patrol Friday. “We had a particular focus on taxi traffic,” said Police Chief Lt. Arlid Lyssand. “We’ve gotten comments about taxis driving too fast, especially on the road to the airport.” He said officers are planning more patrols where they will be easily visible to deter speeders.
