DISASTERS: End of a Pilgrimage

From November until late January, pilots landing at the International Airport near the northern Nigerian city of Kano must worry about a special hazard. Hot winds off the Sahara, known as harmattan, pick up so much dust and sand that the sky becomes hazy and visibility is drastically reduced. Last week a Royal Jordanian Airlines Boeing 707 coming in for a landing at Kano had to make a second attempt because of the blinding harmattan. As the plane landed on the second try, the 707 suddenly burst into flames, and 176 of its 202 passengers were killed. The death...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!