Travel – Headline Smart

Tourist Killed as Massive Resort Fire Sparks Chaos for 1,700 Guests

Authorities are investigating what caused the blaze at a major beach resort in the Dominican Republic. SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A massive fire swept through a beachfront resort on Friday, killing one tourist and forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests from a popular vacation destination on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast. The fire heavily damaged the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham resort in Bayahibe, a tourism hub that attracts visitors from the United …

Horrific Discovery Made in Search for Missing American

Authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the identity of the remains discovered in Costa Rica. PÉREZ ZELEDÓN, Costa Rica — Search teams looking for Ashley Phillips, a 30-year-old California woman who disappeared while hiking in Costa Rica during severe weather earlier this month, have found a body in the search area, authorities and media reports said Wednesday. The discovery marks a major development in a case that drew attention in both Costa Rica and the …

Missing Student Discovered Dead in Remote Area

The discovery ended a weeklong international search near Kyoto. KYOTO, Japan — James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student from Alabama, was found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto after disappearing during a family vacation in Japan, his family announced Saturday. The discovery ended a weeklong search that drew support from volunteers, local residents and people across multiple countries. Higginbotham’s disappearance gained widespread attention after he was reported missing on May 29 while …

Boy, 10, Found Abandoned by Parents at Airport

Authorities in Spain are reviewing claims that parents boarded a flight after their son could not travel because of passport issues. BARCELONA, Spain — Airport workers in Spain reportedly intervened after a couple allegedly left their 10-year-old son alone at an airport while they boarded a flight for a family vacation, according to local media accounts published Friday. The case drew widespread attention after reports said the child was unable to board because of documentation …

Police Officer Falls to His Death During Dream Vacation

Matthew Paton, 52, fell into a ravine near Machu Picchu while hiking with his wife during a long-planned trip to Peru. CUSCO, Peru — An Australian police officer died after falling nearly 1,000 feet into a ravine while hiking the Inca Trail near Machu Picchu with his wife this week, authorities said, ending a yearslong dream trip that family members said he had carefully planned and eagerly anticipated. Peruvian rescue crews recovered the body of …

Man Sucked into Jet Engine at Airport

Officials said the man entered a restricted airfield area before the fatal incident involving a parked Frontier Airlines aircraft. DENVER, Colo. — A man who entered a restricted area at Denver International Airport died after he was pulled into the engine of a Frontier Airlines aircraft late Monday, prompting a multiagency investigation into how he breached airport security and reached an active commercial jet. Airport officials and police said the incident unfolded near a Frontier …

Disney Cruise Disaster Leaves Passengers Stuck in Singapore

The May 7 sailing of Disney Adventure ended before departure after a technical issue kept the ship in port. SINGAPORE — Disney Cruise Line canceled a four-night voyage from Singapore after passengers had already boarded its new Disney Adventure ship, leaving families to disembark after a technical problem kept the vessel from leaving port. The canceled May 7-11 sailing drew attention because it involved Disney’s newest and largest cruise ship, a vessel built for the …

Family Says Airline Abandoned Dementia Patient Before Deadly Crash

The family says the 75-year-old was left alone after an international flight to Houston. HOUSTON — The family of a 75-year-old man with dementia has sued Spirit Airlines, alleging the carrier failed to provide promised assistance before he wandered out of a Houston airport and was killed by vehicles. The lawsuit, filed April 22 in federal court in Houston, centers on the death of Marcos Humberto Vindel Osorio after he arrived from Honduras on June …

Passenger Missing After Plunging From Cruise Ship

Authorities suspended an air-and-sea search after security footage showed the man, who was traveling with family, going over a safety railing during the ship’s return to Sydney. SYDNEY — A man in his 70s went missing from Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Splendor early Saturday after security footage showed him climbing over a safety railing and going into the water northeast of Moreton Island, setting off a major search off the Queensland coast. The case drew …

Allegiant Passenger Dies Following Wheelchair Fall

The complaint says a rushed boarding process left one assistant and an unsecured chair. LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The family of a 24-year-old West Virginia man who used a power wheelchair has sued Allegiant in Nevada, saying he died after falling while boarding a flight at Huntington Tri-State Airport and that the airline failed to provide safe assistance. The lawsuit grows out of a March 28, 2024, boarding incident involving Hunter Adkins, who had muscular …