Fire Crews Called To Fire On Plane At Newcastle Airport

 

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) responded to a fire on board a small passenger aircraft, landing at Newcastle Airport at Williamtown, on Tuesday afternoon.

The pilot had sent a radio message around 12.30pm, stating that a large amount of smoke was filling the cabin.

FRNSW crews, together with the RAAF Fire Brigade, liaised with airport staff and boarded the plane after it landed safely.

The smoke was caused by a small electrical fire in the aircraft's lighting compartment.

The fire had self-extinguished.

Two crew and four passengers were assessed by Australian Defence Force medical staff and were released without injury.

NSW Police and NSW Rural Fire Service also attended the incident. 

 

Senior Williamtown RAAF Officer Charged With Child Procurement

BY IAN CROUCH

A senior officer from the Williamtown RAAF base is set to face court today (Wednesday 22 January, 2020) accused of procuring a child for sex.

News Limited reports Military Police helped detectives from Strike Force Trawler arrest the 48-year-old man at the base on Tuesday afternoon.

Detectives began engaging with the man online in December.

Police will allege the man believed he was speaking with a 13-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sexually explicit acts he wished to perform on the child and sent sexually-explicit material.

Police also searched the man's home at Medowie, where detectives allegedly seized laptops, mobile phones and electronic storage devices.

He's been refused bail to face Raymond Terrace Court today charged with using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sex and two counts of posses/control child abuse material using a carriage service.

Hunter Misses Out In Federal Budget

BY IAN CROUCH

Hunter infrastructure projects which have been on the drawing board for years have missed out in the Federal Budget.

There was no specific funding commitments to the Glendale Transport Interchange, the M1 Link to Raymond Terrace or the Scone and Muswellbrook bypasses, although the region is likely to gain a share of the $3.5 billion Roads of Strategic Importance program over 10 years

However Defence spending in the region is getting more attention.

Another $1.8 billion dollars is going towards the new Joint Strike Fighter project at Williamtown, while new Air Combat Facilities at the base will receive $94 million on top of the $798 million already spent.

Money has also been allocated to air traffic control and aviation refueling infrastructure.

As we reported yesterday, Williamtown residents affected by the PFAS contamination crisis will benefit from a $55.2 million program to provide drinking water to communities living around the defence bases at Williamtown, Oakey, Tindal and Pearce.

Treasurer Scott Morrison delivers the 2018 Federal Budget