James Blake, ex-tennis star, mistakenly arrested in New York

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Image caption"There's no reason for anybody to do that to anybody," Mr Blake said

New York City police officers have mistakenly detained a former professional tennis player as he waited for a car to take him to the US Open.

James Blake told the New York Daily News that a group of five plainclothes officers slammed him to the ground and held him for 15 minutes on Wednesday.

The police said in a statement that the officers mistakenly believed he was a suspect in a theft case.

Once it was determined that Mr Blake was not the suspect, he was released.

Mr Blake, 35, said he suffered a cut on his arm and bruises on his legs. He said the officers did not speak to him before they pushed him to the ground.

"You'd think they could say: 'Hey, we want to talk to you. We are looking in to something'," Mr Blake told the Daily News.

"You would think at some point they would get the memo that this isn't OK, but it seems that there's no stopping it."

Once the fourth-ranked player in the world, Mr Blake was set to make an appearance at the US Open for the Time-Warner Cable company.

He retired following his US Open exit in 2013 after winning 10 singles titles in a career in which he also became the number one US player.

Police said a "cooperating witness" mistakenly identified Mr Blake as being involved in "a ring dealing in fraudulently purchased cellphones".

Racial concerns

Mr Blake, who is black, said race may have contributed to the incident. All of the officers were white.

However he said his primary concern was with the amount of force used.

"In my mind there's probably a race factor involved, but no matter what there's no reason for anybody to do that to anybody," he told the Daily News.

The New York Police Department said it was investigating whether the officers used excessive force.

The department has recently been involved in a number of high-profile cases involving accusations of police brutality.

In the most prominent case, a man selling illegal cigarettes died in July 2014 after being subdued by several police officers. Eric Garner's violent arrest was filmed by a bystander.

A decision not to criminally charge the officers led to widespread protests across the city.

Hero pilot who saved 157 passengers in BA plane fire QUITS FLYING after horror blaze

THE hero British Airways pilot who saved the lives of 157 passengers when he stopped his plane at 90mph after its engine burst into flames has QUIT flying due to the terrifying ordeal.

Captain Chris Henkey has been hailed as a hero

Captain Chris Henkey was yesterday hailed a hero for doing a "bloody good job" to save all passengers on board the Boeing 777-220 with his quick thinking.
Mr Henkey, from Reading, Berkshire, who has four decades of flying experience, was on his second-to-last flight before retiring from the profession.
But today the captian revealed he is "unlikely" to make his final flight, which would have seen him travel to Barbados to join his daughter in his favourite holiday destination.
He said: "It is safe to say I'm finished flying."
The captain's announcement comes after it emerged he had already endured one near brush with death.
Mr Henkey was lucky to escape with his life after being left seriously injured when his sports car flipped over and his face was dragged along the road, a friend revealed.
He spent months recovering from the horror crash, in which the area around his left ear was badly scarred, before eventually being cleared to return to the cockpit.
His fiancee, Lenka Nevolna, 40, said: "He's a hero. He's a great man with a warm heart, and generosity, and I'm very proud of him."

She said she was "very shocked" by what had happened and added: "I'm glad that no one's hurt and everything is going to be fine."
Asked if he is always so cool and calm, Ms Nevoina said: "Yes, most of the time, and he's loved by everyone, we are very proud of him."
She confirmed he is about to retire, adding: "Unfortunately what happened, we couldn't have predicted."
The 63-year-old was about to take off on one of his final flights when an engine was engulfed by flames on the runway at a Las Vegas airport on Tuesday evening.
Panic erupted when smoke filled the plane, which was heading for Gatwick Airport in London, after cabin crew opened emergency doors to evacuate.
Passengers on board described a "mad dash" to escape the burning jet after the left engine caught fire.
But miraculously just 14 people have been reported injured after the horror incident at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas.

Friend and fellow pilot, Bruce Garner, said the experienced aviator would have gone into "automatic mode" the moment fire ripped through his plane.
The retired Boeing 777 captain said: "There wouldn't have been any panic. Once an incident happens on board there's always plenty of adrenalin but never panic.
"All pilots are trained on exactly what to do. They undergo training every year for evacuations of this kind.
He added: "Chris and I were good friends when I lived in Wokingham. He's an all-round good guy. I remember how he survived the road crash, he was in an MG Midget, I think.
"He was quite badly disfigured but after a long period away he was fully recovered to fly again. It was one of the reasons he let his hair grow longer.
"If this was his penultimate flight before retiring, I hope he enjoys his free time."
Mr Henkley's partner Lenka Nevolna spoke of the horror of seeing images of the burning jet on television and said it was "a miracle" the plane did not expolode.
Speaking at the couple's home in Padworth, Berkshire, after arriving home from work at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, she said: : "He's a hero, he's a great man.
"He has great generosity.
"I am very shocked but glad no-one was hurt and that he will be fine. He acts very cool under pressure, he is very calm and a real professional.
"He phoned me straightaway after the fire and told me what happened and I was just relieved he was okay.

SWNS

British Airways jet on fire at Las Vegas airport

"He is due to retire soon and unfortunately no-one could have predicted that this would happen. I am looking forward to getting him home and getting him back.
"I don't know what will happen next and I don't really remember much of what he said had happened because i was in shock.
"I didn't worry when I saw it on TV because I knew he was safe as he phoned me almost immediately."
Asked if she was looking forward to seeing him again and giving him a big hug she said: "yes, yes of course."
Blonde-haired Ms Nevolna said she had been following the news all day after her partner called her to explain about the aborted flight.Lenka added: "Chris and I have been together for nine years and got engaged in April. "He proposed while we were in Jersey and he had actually arranged in secret to have two of our friends meet us out there.

"He is out of hospital now but he was in originally for smoke inhalation.
"Whenever he flies I am always in contact with him before a flight, sending him my well wishes and texts and generally keeping in touch.
"He first phoned me last night at around 1am just after it happened. I switched on my TV straight away and watched the news unfold. I was horrified but it is a miracle that the plane didn't explode. I'm so glad he is safe.
"The car crash he was involved with was in the 80's, that was a long time ago."

After the incident Mr Henkey texted his family to say there was a "massive explosion" but he was safe.
His daughter Charley, 26, spoke of her "pride" after her father managed to stop his Boeing 777 in just nine seconds after a catastrophic failure.
Mr Henkey's daughter Carley said her father was coming to the end of his career as a pilot and was planning to join her on holiday in Barbados next week.
She said: "I was just heading out to dinner with my best friend when I got a text from Dad saying there had been a massive explosion on the plane but that he was OK.
"I couldn't sleep all night, because I was just waiting to get a call from him. I think the most emotional part is that I am just so proud of him."
She told the Reading Chronicle: "This was supposed to be one of his last flights. I just hope he gets to fly again before he retires so that he ends on a high. He was supposed to be joining me in Barbados on Saturday for the end of the holiday, but I'm not sure now what is going to happen."
Mr Henkey, who has also been a pub landlord, lives in Berkshire with his 40-year-old wife.

His ex-wife Marnie, who is a former cabinet crew member, said he will "always" be a hero in her eyes.
She told the Guardian: "He is safe and happy. I’ve had some messages from him. He did a bloody good job.”
The 159 passengers and 13 crew members were evacuated from the 275-seat Boeing aircraft using emergency slides, as 50 firefighters tackled the blaze.
BA has sent a letter of apology to all of its passengers, reading: "I am very sorry that you were involved int he incident at Las Vegas Airport today.
"We do not underestimate how distressing the experience has been for you and we have a dedicated team of staff here to help you.
"I would like to reassure you that we will do everything possible to provide you with the assistance and support you need."
A dramatic audio recording has emerged of the moment the pilot shouted "mayday, mayday" to request fire services to his burning plane.

The jet's pilot, who has been praised for his collected dealing of the incident, is heard calmly asking for fire crews before telling air traffic control: "We are evacuating on the runway. We have a fire, I repeat, we are evacuating."
Journalist Jacob Steinberg, who was on the plane, said: "They opened up one of the doors at the back and immediately loads of smoke came into the plane through that door which obviously led to quite a lot of panic from where we were.
They applauded the plane's pilot when he emerged at the airport and joked that they "won't be going anywhere tonight".
Mr Steinberg added: "It was a bit of a blur to be honest. At first I don't think they realised what had happened because they were telling people to sit down.
"A couple of people stood up and were running down the plane. I thought they were just panicking.
"There was a very quick shift in mood when they shouted evacuate and everybody immediately was up on their feet.
"Once they shouted evacuate it was quite quick but initially I think they didn't realise what had happened until the pilot looked out the window and saw smoke coming from the left engine."
Injured passengers were rushed to nearby Sunrise Hospital, with most receiving treatment after hurting themselves while slide down inflatable chutes to escape the aircraft.
Firefighters stationed at the airport reached the within two minutes of receiving reports of flames, and within another three minutes, everyone inside the plane had escaped.

Passengers blasted for grabbing their bags when evacuating

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the left engine of the twin-engine plane had caught fire.
Billowing black smoke and orange flames could be seen pouring from the plane's wings before about 50 firefighters quickly doused the aircraft.
It is not yet known what caused the blaze.
One runway at the airport was closed.
Aviation expert Mike Vivian described it as a "incredibly unusual situation".
He added: "This is a successful aircraft with a very good record."
A spokeswoman for British Airways said safety is always the airline's priority and the airline is looking after customers.
At a press conference, an airport spokeswoman told reporters 14 people had been treated for minor injuries.
She added: "All passengers were evacuated quickly and safely and taken by bus to the terminal.
"We cannot express enough gratitude to the emergency response crews, as well as the British Airways crew.
"As facts become available, information will be provided."
The National Transportation Safety Board would be investigating the incident, the spokeswoman said.

British Airways plane on fire

Wed, September 9, 2015

Passengers on a British Airways flight heading from Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport to London's Gatwick were evacuated after the jet caught on fire.

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British Airways plane covered in thick black smoke and flames after it caught on fire on the 

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Meanwhile, "idiot" passengers have been slammed for "believing bags were more important than burning alive".
Dozens of people took time to grab their suitcases, laptops and rucksacks as the jet's engine remained on fire and smoke billowed from the jet.
Taking any luggage out of a plane during an emergency goes against safety evacuation procedures.
Safety expert Thomas Pitts tweeted: "Woke up to the news of the engine fire on that BA flight in Vegas. But yet again people are taking their bags whilst evacuating! Idiots!"
One Twitter user wrote: "Pleased to see that so many laptops, duty free and other replaceable items made it off safely.
While another said: "HEY. MAN ROLLING HIS LUGGAGE OFF THE BURNING PLANE. DO NOT DO THAT.
Another added: "Those with luggage would take a punch square in the face. Apparently people slowing the evacuation to grab bags."
But Mr Steinberg defended the people grabbing their bags, writing:"Don't criticise passengers for taking their bags! People go into panic mode in that situation."