5 Travel Stories You Might Have Missed Last Week
Catch up on last week’s travel news.
T
his week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: an earthquake in Tibet killed at least 126 people. In Thailand, a panic-stricken elephant pushed a tourist, who later died from the injuries. India is celebrating its largest religious gathering with millions expected to attend the event on river banks.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
EARTHQUAKE IN TIBET KILLS 120
A powerful earthquake of 7.1 magnitude struck Tibet last Tuesday at 9 a.m. local time. The tremors were felt in northern India, Bhutan, and Nepal. The country also felt several aftershocks. In the aftermath, houses toppled, property was destroyed, and at least 126 people were killed. State broadcasters reported that 188 were injured and that more than 3,600 houses collapsed.
Tibet initiated rescue operations to rescue people stuck under rubble. The Dalai Lama expressed deep sadness. China, which controls Tibet as an autonomous region, closed Mount Everest after the quake, though tourists don’t climb the world’s tallest peak in the winter months.
NO.2
PASSENGER EVACUATES DELTA PLANE ON SLIDES
A Delta flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis-St. Paul had an engine problem last week for which the take-off was suspended. The strange part: 201 passengers evacuated the plane during a snowstorm on emergency slides. Four passengers suffered minor injuries; one was taken to the hospital for treatment. Delta apologized for the incident and emphasized that safety is paramount. The airport tweeted later that the operations were delayed due to this incident as well as the weather conditions.
— Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) January 10, 2025
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NO.3
STRESSED ELEPHANT KILLS TOURIST IN THAILAND
Last week, a Spanish woman was killed by a panic-stricken elephant at an elephant center in Thailand. An elephant at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Phang Nga province pushed 22-year-old Blanca Ojanguren García while she was washing the mammal. She sustained a head injury and died at the hospital. García, a student in Taiwan, was traveling with her boyfriend, the BBC reported.
Experts suggested that the elephant could have been stressed due to interaction with tourists. There are more than 4,000 captive elephants in Thailand and the animals undergo a vast amount of emotional and physical distress–and sometimes, abuse and poor treatment. For years, elephant tourism has received a lot of backlash from animal rights groups.
Related: Can Elephant Tourism Be Ethical? PETA Weighs In
NO.4
THE WORLD’S LARGEST RELIGIOUS GATHERING BEGINS IN INDIA
In the city of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, millions of devotees will bathe in the holy waters over the next six weeks. Mahakumbh Mela, which takes place every 12 years, is a significant religious festival for Hindus in the country and around the world—around 400 million are expected to attend this year.
Hindu devotees take a dip in the cold waters at Sangam, where the rivers of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati meet to wash away their sins. The festival—the biggest in the world—will end on February 26.
NO.5
JETBLUE FINDS TWO BODIES IN THE WHEEL OF A PLANE
Another stowaway incident made the headlines last week, but this was a tragic event. A JetBlue plane flew from New York’s JFK to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Monday. During its inspection, two male bodies were discovered in the wheel well of the plane by a gate technician. The unidentified men were both dead, and autopsies will be carried out to determine the cause of death.
The passengers and crew had already deboarded the plane when the bodies—heavily decomposed—were discovered. The plane is also back in commission. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is working with the airline, the airport, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the incident.
Related: How Did a Passenger Fly to Paris From New York WITHOUT a Ticket?
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