2,492-carat diamond – one of the world's largest
– found in Botswana
Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond said in a statement Wednesday that it had discovered in Botswana a diamond as large as the palm of a hand, which, in terms of carats, would make it the world's second-largest diamond.
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A massive 2,492-carat diamond -- the second largest in the world -- has been discovered in Botswana, the Canadian mining company that found the stone announced Thursday.
The diamond was discovered in the Karowe Diamond Mine in northeastern Botswana using x-ray detection technology, Lucara Diamond Corp. said in a statement.
Lucara did not give a value for the find or mention its quality. But in terms of carats, the stone is second only to the 3,016-carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905.
"We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond," Lucara president William Lamb said in the statement.
Pictures released by the company show the diamond is as large as the palm of a hand.
This find was "one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed" and was detected using the company's Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds, the statement said.
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi viewed the massive stone later on Thursday. His government said it was the second biggest in the world.
Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe's largest online diamond jeweller, 77 Diamonds, confirmed it was the largest rough diamond to be unearthed since the Cullinan Diamond, parts of which adorn Britain's crown jewels.
"This discovery is largely thanks to newer technology that allows larger diamonds to be extracted from the ground without breaking into pieces. So we will likely see more where this came from," he said.
Botswana is one of the world's largest producers of diamonds, its main source of income, accounting for 30 percent of GDP and 80 percent of its exports.
Before the find was announced on Thursday, the largest diamond discovered in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone mined by Lucara at the Karowe mine in 2019 and named Sewelo.
Lucara found a 1,174-carat diamond stone in Botswana in 2021 using the same x-ray technology.
(AFP)
Plane passenger arrested after forcing open exit door and walking on wing
Travellers at Melbourne Airport were shocked when a passenger onboard a stationary airplane forced open an emergency exit door and walked out onto the plane’s wing on Thursday morning.
The man, who has not been named publicly, opened the exit door without authorization while Jetstar Flight JQ507 was parked at a terminal gate. The flight arrived in Melbourne from Sydney at around 10 a.m. local time, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Officials said the man opened a right-side exit door on the plane, triggering a release of the airplane’s evacuation slide. Rather than using the slide, the man stepped onto the Airbus A320’s wing and slid down the engine to stand on the tarmac.
He was quickly met with ground crew staff members and was detained before police arrived. Australian Federal Police said the man was arrested for aggressive behaviour and breaching aircraft safety protocols. Charges are likely to be laid at a later date.
The man was examined by paramedics at the airport and was brought to hospital for further assessment, police said.
Audrey Varghese, a passenger onboard Flight JQ507, told ABC some passengers screamed when the exit door was opened. She said she and other travellers were “quite terrified” by the incident.
Varghese said after the plane was done taxiing, the passenger “charged” toward the emergency exit row, then “pushed past some people” and “ripped off the emergency exit door.”
After the man exited the plane, Varghese said the flight crew calmed the remaining travellers and ensured no one was injured.
Another passenger onboard Flight JQ507 said the man’s rowdy behaviour began even before he opened the plane’s exit door. A traveller identified only as Madison told Australia’s Nine News television the man was seen vaping throughout the flight, which is not permitted. He also unsuccessfully demanded the air crew provide him with alcohol, she claimed.
Video and photos allegedly from the incident have circulated on social media, including footage of the passenger in confrontation with the Melbourne Airport ground crew.
A spokesperson for the Melbourne Airport praised the speedy response of ground crew members who intercepted the wayward passenger.
“Melbourne Airport is proud of the exceptional response from ground crew, which meant there was no immediate danger to other passengers or airport staff,” the spokesperson said.
No doubt there were drugs involved in this incident!
