Molly Wilson's Blog

At 2:30pm today, a US Airways aircraft landed in the Thames near Rainham Marshes in Essex after suffering an engine failure shortly after takeoff. British Transport Police have released a statement regarding the plane crash in an update via Twitter, stating “flight US132 was disabled after collision with two drones 1500 metres east of London City Airport”. A birdstrike was originally reported, however British Transport Police are now investigating due to drone debris being found after an examination of the plane engines. Work by the Air Accidents Investigations Branch is now underway to recover the aircraft.

Originally reported by an unverified source on Twitter, stating simply “a plane has just landed on the Thames near Rainham Marshes”, the tweet was accompanied by an image of the aircraft in the river surrounded by passengers disembarking into life rafts. London Fire Service and London City Airport confirmed that flight US132, originally en route to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, had “planned to ditch in water” after the pilot reported an engine failure and no power to return to LCY. The aircraft landed 100 metres offshore at Purfleet RSPB Reserve, with RNLI services and Essex police arriving to assist passengers evacuating the plane onto the wings and life rafts.

All 46 passengers and 6 crew are safely ashore, with only minor injuries sustained thanks to help from London emergency services, supported by units from Essex and Kent. Passengers were taken care of at Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre, being provided with food and water and phones to contact family members. Purfleet HMC commented that they “can’t believe everyone got out alive”. The most recent update from Essex police reports “arrangements being made to get passengers home or back to London City Airport for onward journey.” One passenger was taken to Queen’s Hospital, Romford for a suspected heart attack, but is reportedly now stable and has been released, having suffered only indigestion.

One unlucky passenger, Nadine Johnson, shared a viral tweet stating that she “did not expect to be spending my birthday standing on the wing of a plane in the middle of the Thames” followed by an image of the banks of Purfleet RSPB Nature Reserve from the wing of the aircraft. She added “the pilot is a total legend for getting us down in one piece.”

Passenger in hospital after Thames plane crash

3:35pm: All passengers and crew aboard US Airways plane crash in Thames earlier today are now ashore. @EssexPolice report that “one passenger taken to Queen’s Hospital, Romford with suspected heart attack”, after previous updates suggested passengers only sustained minor injuries. Other passengers are being transported home or back to London City Airport for onward journey.

2 passengers injured in Thames plane crash

3:25pm: Passengers from the US Airways plane crash on Thames are being brought to shore by RNLI, with all 42 passengers and 6 crew accounted for. @EssexPolice have confirmed “two passengers being treated for minor injuries”, with Essex ambulance service carrying out further medical checks. Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre have updated via Twitter, @PurfleetHMC, “we’re providing passengers with food and drinks after their ordeal, as well as phones and WiFi to contact relatives.” alongside a picture of passengers recovering at the Heritage & Military Centre. “Can’t believe everyone got out alive.”

Passenger on Thames plane tweets from wing

3:10pm: An unverified Twitter account has shared a viral tweet claiming to be a passenger on flight US132, which crashed into the Thames near Essex at 2:30pm today. Nadine Johnson, @nadine63287412, shares “did not expect to be spending my birthday standing on the wing of a plane in the middle of the Thames. The pilot is a total legend for getting us down in one piece”. The tweet was accompanied by a picture of the banks of Rainham Marshes nature reserve, seemingly taken while still on the wing of the aircraft.

Essex police and RNLI arrive to evacuate Thames plane

3:00pm: Police officers “now on scene of #Thamesplane”, say @EssexPolice via Twitter. RNLI lifeboats are also in attendance to assist passengers onto wings and into life rafts. The US Airways aircraft landed 100 metres offshore at Purfleet RSPB Reserve after an engine failure after taking off from London City Airport.

Plane crashed on Thames suffered engine failure

2:50pm: London City Airport has confirmed via Twitter @LondonCityAirprt that flight US132, a US Airways plane which crashed into the Thames near Rainham at 2:30pm today, had suffered an engine failure with “no power to return to LCY so planned to ditch in water.” Radar contact was lost at 2:31pm after the flight had taken off at London City Airport, en route to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Emergency services arrive at plane crash on Thames

2:40pm: The London Fire Service has verified via Twitter that emergency services are “attending plane crash on Thames near Rainham”, according to @lfsofficial, the official London Fire Service Twitter account. Thames river police and RNLI are also en route to the scene, with supporting units coming from Essex and Kent.

US Airways plane lands on Thames

At 2:30pm today, an unverified source, @thamestweets on Twitter, shared “a plane has just landed on the Thames near Rainham Marshes”. This was accompanied by an image of a US Airways plane sinking into the river in East London, with passengers seen disembarking the aircraft.

Following a meeting between the Mayor and Cabinet last week, 25 community projects will be awarded funds from Lewisham Council’s Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL).

Projects specifically tackling crime, providing activities for young people, mental health support and recovery from COVID-19 have been targeted for funding.

One community group receiving funding, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, is a youth and community development charity invested in supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by creating opportunities through sports, media, arts and education.

Second Wave, a youth arts charity, will also receive funding. Providing workshops and events to young people in Lewisham with a particular focus on young women facing sexual harassment and violence, they are one of the several BAME-led organisations to receive support.

The money will come from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which the Council gives to new developments in Lewisham. Each of Lewisham’s 18 wards will receive their own portion of NCIL funding based on the number of new developments and amount of deprivation in the area for funding to be fairly distributed.

In a statement released to the Lewisham Council website, consultation with local community groups has found much enthusiasm for the proposal of an “economically sound future, a healthy and well future, and a future that we all have a part in”.

Councillor Kim Powell has said “by involving our local communities in decisions around NCIL funding, residents will get a real say on the investment they want to see in their local area and the community projects that will benefit them most”.

 Following consultation with voluntary and community groups in Lewisham, the Council’s Main Grants Programme has been renewed for 2022-25. Kim Powell commented “We have a proud record of investing in our local communities, even when faced with the challenges of austerity and central government cuts.”

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According to a recent press release, Nike has created the Nike Equality PAC in order to raise funds to support winning marriage equality in Oregon, US. With a starting fund of $280,000, a $100,000 contribution from Nike, Inc. and $180,000 from Nike leaders, employees are also able to choose to donate to the campaign against LGBT discrimination. With the help of Nike-affiliated donors, the company continues to work towards nondiscrimination in the workplace, an unprecedented move that puts Nike at the forefront of Oregon businesses who are standing up for marriage freedom.

Nike has a history of support for employment nondiscrimination, being one of the first companies to extend benefits to same-sex partners 20 years ago, extending those benefits to dependants of domestic partners in 2000. Nike has also supported Oregon’s marriage equality legislation previously, helping secure employment nondiscrimination and civil unions for same-sex partners in 2005. The company also began building business community support for the Freedom to Marry and Religious Protection Initiative, allowing same-sex marriage in Oregon while protecting religious institutions’ ability to perform marriages consistent with their beliefs. Nike was one of the lead companies to support the end of federal marriage discrimination and recognition of same-sex civil marriage before the US Supreme Court and has consistently received 100% scores from the Human Rights Campaign.

Nike believes that being supportive of marriage equality, specifically inclusion in the workplace, drives diversity and innovation. As a company, Nike has stated that diversity allows them to “attract and retain world class talent”. Therefore, equitable laws are favourable for Oregon businesses. Nike’s leadership of marriage equality in Oregon was followed by support from Adidas America, based in Portland, Oregon.

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