Crocodile causes Filair plane to crash, killing 20 people in Congo

A small plane flying by the regular schedule from the capital of Kinshasa to an airport in Bandundu crashed into a house, killing 20 people on board including a British co-pilot Chris Wilson alongside Belgian pilot Danny Philemotte, who was owner of the plane's operator Filair. 

The story told by the only survivor shocked investigators. It appeared that the crash was caused by the hidden crocodile escaping and causing a panic in the cabin that eventually threw the aircraft off-balance. Ironically the crocodile also survived but was killed by a rescuers.

The plane smashed into an empty house just in a short distance from its destination.
"According to the report and the testimony of the only survivor, the crash happened because of a panic sparked by the escape of a crocodile hidden in a sports bag,” news organisation Jeune Afrique reported.

One of the passengers had hidden the animal, which he most likely planned to sell, in a big sports bag, from which the reptile escaped as the plane began its descent into Bandundu.

Smuggling crocodiles is not a rarity. In a 2007 article in Vanity Fair titled "Congo From the Cockpit," author William Langeweische describes how crocodiles are often brought on board for transport to local markets because their tails are considered a delicacy.

The plane was a Czech-made Let L-410 Turbolet, one of more than 1,100 produced as short-range transport aircraft and used mainly for passenger services.

News Sources

http://jeffpflueger.com/mt/weblog/2008/06/innovations_in_journalism.html

I´m currently researching different news sources trying to come up with some idea for my assignment. I´ve been looking for BBC websites as well as many others like Reuters, CNN, Pravda, CCTV. Considering the mass of information spread all over the web, I try to pick some good news to write about. So the time flies and I should just keep on my research.
Updated version will be set later on the week

Comics

I´m not up to comics so I don´t read them. But our next assignment in English was to get some comic book in the library, read it and see how it is build. My preferences were something colorful  and short, easy reading and well pictured. Unfortunately there is small selection on comics up there so instead of looking something I like, I decided to choose absolutely opposite. I choose black and white comics. My choice felt on a "Shangri-La", comic book by Marc Bryant & Shepherd Hendrix. Is has interesting scenario and easy to read. The main character is a famous rock star Correy Stinson who splits from his band. Well, the band went on much greater success without him. The company who eager to get profit from Correy's last album takes out a hit on him. The funny thing happened: the assassin who was hired to do the job was actually Correy's fan. Instead of killing him, they run together. 

Coming back home after classes I watched a History Channel. I have never heard the name "Shangri-La" in my life and have no idea of what it is. But what I see on TV? An hour-long documentary about Shangri-La, a place in China's Yunan province which was named after the fictional place in James Hilton's well-known novel "Lost Horizon". It caught me even more than the comic itself :) so I googled it and found some info about that place. Here you can read an article about Shangri-La place. And also this link here ---> Shangri-La: Paradise on Earth <--- with beautiful photos gives us some info about that mystical wonderland in southwest Chinese province of Yunan. 

I will say that I´m not really fond of the comic I chose in the library but it definitely opened another horizon for me, another Shangri-La. And I will try to look for more info about that mysterious place :)