NEWS OF THE DAY
1 Plane found: The U.S. Navy has located a transport aircraft deep on the Pacific Ocean floor where it crashed in November, killing three sailors on board. The C-2A Greyhound aircraft, which was traveling to the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan when it crashed the day before Thanksgiving in the Philippine Sea, rests at a depth of about 18,500 feet, the 7th Fleet said in a statement Saturday. Eight people were rescued and the dead were identified as Lt. Steven Combs Jr. and Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso of Florida and Airman Matthew Chialastri of Louisiana.
2 Senegal violence: Thirteen people have been killed by armed gunmen in Senegal’s southern Casamance region, the military said. The bloodshed confirmed Saturday by Col. Abdoul Ndiaye was the worst in years and immediately sparked fears of renewed unrest in the south, where separatists have sought independence for more than 30 years. The deaths came hours after the release of two prisoners belonging to the separatist group known as the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance.
3 Refugee crisis: The bodies of eight migrants were recovered Saturday and 88 others were rescued from a floundering smugglers’ dinghy off the Libyan coast, the Italian coast guard said. An aircraft on patrol for a European mission against migrant smuggling in the Mediterranean spotted the rubber boat. Italian navy and coast guard vessels were involved in the rescue. The Spanish organization Proactiva Open Arms, whose boat wasn’t involved in the rescue, said many migrants were in the water for hours before being saved and that dozens could still be missing.
4 Cuba probe: Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., says the U.S. has found no evidence that American diplomats in Havana were the victims of attacks with an unknown weapon. Flake, a longtime leading advocate of detente with Cuba, met Friday with high-ranking Cuban officials. The Cubans told Flake the FBI has advised them that, after four trips to Cuba, its agents have found no evidence that mysterious illnesses suffered by 24 U.S. diplomats were the result of attacks. Flake said Saturday that classified briefings from U.S. officials have left him with no reason to doubt the Cuban account. The U.S. has withdrawn most of its diplomats from Havana, citing a health risk.
5 Airport collision: Passengers were forced to evacuate using emergency slides in the bitter cold Friday night after two planes collided on the ground at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. No injuries were reported. WestJet said an inbound flight from Cancun, Mexico, with 168 passengers and a crew of six was stationary and waiting to go to a gate when it was struck by a Sunwing aircraft moving back from a gate. Video from the WestJet plane shows flames on the wing of the Sunwing plane. Passengers are heard screaming. Spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said the WestJet passengers were evacuated and all were safely in the terminal shortly after the collision. Sunwing said there were no crew members or passengers aboard its aircraft. It was being towed by the airline’s ground handling service at the time.
6 Kashmir avalanches: Rescuers recovered the bodies of 11 people Saturday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a day after multiple avalanches struck their vehicles in the Himalayan region. Thirteen people were swept away by three near-simultaneous slides along a 6-mile stretch of a mountainous road in Kupawara district Friday. Two people were rescued and were in stable condition.