One of the most famous was aviator Amelia Earhart. Her twin engine monoplane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the world. A multimillion dollar search and more than half a century later no trace of the plane has ever been found.
A US military flight involving a Flying Tiger 4-engine super constellation flight left Guam in the Pacific with 90 people on board in 1962 and disappeared never to be seen again. For UFO enthusiasts A Liberian tanker in the area reported an intensely luminous light in the sky at approximately the same time as the plane disappeared. After a search by 1300 military personnel, cause of the disappearance was never established.
The Bermuda or Devil’s triangle located in the Atlantic/Caribbean between Florida, Puerto Rico and Bermuda aircraft disappearance claims have become legendary. Two British South American Airways passenger jets disappeared in 1948 and 1949 without a trace and wreckage or the 51 passengers weren’t ever found. In 1945 Five American Avenger single engine aircraft disappeared without a trace over the Bermuda Triangle and have never been found. An aircraft with a crew of 13 searching for the missing Avengers also disappeared without a trace.
Many other flights have reportedly disappeared but in most cases the wreckage was discovered sometimes decades later in unexpected locations. Most locations where the wrecks were found were considered the result of flight errors, criminal activity or terrorism.
Another issue this week is the threat of war, political or financial upheaval due to the Russian activity in attempting to occupy the Crimea part of Ukraine. The situation is very hard to comment upon since the information from news media is confusing. Apparently America is more than reluctant to threaten military intervention for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is the fact that billions have been borrowed and spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The debt load forces the US to abandon its traditional role of policeman for nations struggling to establish some form of democracy. America’s European allies are apparently split or at least less inclined to join forces in trying to stop the Russian so-called invasion. The former controlling nation of the Soviet Block has a majority of the energy resources needed by many European and other nations. Hopefully an itchy trigger finger won’t set off a conflict, however a peaceful end result is difficult to predict.
Canada’s government has taken a new path for situations like the Russia-Ukraine threat. The government has so-called diplomats running all over Europe and appearing in Ukraine making threats in some cases that cannot be backed up. Without a resolution of the United Nations for action of any significance the situation will continue to fester. Canada’s threats of retaliation by any G8 (now G7 without Russia) organization imposing sanctions is not realistic. Canada does not have a seat in the UN after the current government turned its back on the worldwide organization so it is hard to imagine Russia paying any attention to Canada crying unfair. Besides as previously stated G7 European nations are dependent on Russia for energy and other essential resource commodities changing the idea that all will follow Canada’s call for effective sanctions.
The Harper government currently in control of the country’s foreign agenda appears to be trying to score political points with a serious situation threatening world peace. Prime Minister Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister Baird directing Canadian efforts in the situation are well aware there are a million Canadians of Ukrainian decent watching developments so even showing the government is doing something constructive during the crisis is politically wise.