Cyclone Ditwah barrelled through the Indian Ocean island nation last week

International News via Reuters:

Villagers in Sri Lanka used spades on Wednesday to clear away mud as they searched for the bodies of relatives and friends days after 13 homes were flattened by a landslide in the dead of night caused by a cyclone that killed 474 people.

Cyclone Ditwah barrelled through the Indian Ocean island nation last week, setting off the landslide in the central region of Mawathura that left only a broken window pane, walls of ruined homes, and a twisted red sari buried in the mud. 

“We managed to dig out my uncle, his wife, and his mother-in-law last night,” Neil Jayasinghe, who runs a bakery in a nearby town, told Reuters.

“We just wrapped them in a sheet and buried them nearby. There wasn’t even a coffin.”

HUNDREDS KILLED ACROSS SOUTH, SOUTHEAST ASIA

The cyclone was among deadly storms that recently swept across South and Southeast Asia to devastate large swathes of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, killing hundreds. 

More than 350 people are still missing in Sri Lanka after the cyclone, which brought the worst flooding in a decade and affected 1.2 million, the government says.

Shantha Kumara, 49, was shifting bricks by hand, looking for bodies.

“We made it to a temple nearby and returned at dawn, but by that time nothing was left,” he said, describing his escape with his wife and three children when homes around his own crumbled. 

SHOPS ENGULFED IN MUD

Clearing slush from his electrical repair shop in the town of Gampola, 71-year-old B.S. Wickramasinghe sifted through mud-caked radios assisted by his son, while sludge covered a pile of television sets nearby.  

“When the owners come and ask me for their TVs, I am just going to point to this, because there is no way I can replace them,” he said, estimating his losses at about 7 million rupees ($23,000).

Gampola lies in Kandy, the region hardest hit by the cyclone, with 118 deaths, authorities have said. 

Officials and volunteers at its government offices were coordinating efforts to provide cooked food, water, clothes, and other essentials to 8,000 people in 27 regional relief centres.

Regional official Chinthani Herath said authorities would have to decide in the long run whether to shift hamlets to safer areas. 

“We will have to look at the location of these villages with the support of other government agencies,” Herath added.

($1=308.6500 Sri Lankan rupees)

Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

Reuters first reported the industrial quality problem on Monday, on the heels of an emergency recall of thousands of A320s for a software change over the weekend

International News via Reuters:

Airbus cut its 2025 delivery target to around 790 commercial aircraft on Wednesday, 30 fewer than previously expected, but maintained financial goals following a quality issue with fuselage panels on its popular A320 family of jets.

Reuters first reported the industrial quality problem on Monday, on the heels of an emergency recall of thousands of A320s for a software change over the weekend.

Airbus shares rose 2% in early morning trade, after having fallen nearly 7% over the past two sessions.

Analysts said the downgrade clears the air following a turbulent week for the world’s largest planemaker, which comes just two months after the A320 overtook the Boeing 737 as the most-delivered model in history.

“The 30 aircraft removed from the delivery guide this year are not all expected to require a parts change,” analysts from Jefferies said in a note to investors. They highlighted the fact there was no mention of engines causing added delays in Wednesday’s statement.

Engine supplies have been under scrutiny as planemakers look to increase production of new jets while airlines compete with assembly lines for supplies to address long engine repair times.

Airbus engineers have found defects on a wider set of A320 fuselage panels as they prepare to inspect hundreds of jets, a presentation to airlines seen by Reuters showed. A total of 628 planes are due to be inspected but Airbus has said only a portion of these will need further action.

The affected parts have the wrong thickness following a process of stretching and milling carried out by Seville-based Sofitec Aero, which did not respond to requests for comment.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said on Tuesday that the fuselage panel problem had also hit deliveries in November and told Reuters a decision on December deliveries would be taken within hours or days.

The company is due to publish November data on Friday. Industry sources told Reuters that it delivered 72 aircraft that month, lower than expected.

Airbus said its financial goals for the year were unchanged. It targets adjusted operating income around 7.0 billion euros ($8.2 billion) and free cash flow around 4.5 billion euros.

Analysts said the decision to hold the financial targets despite lower deliveries suggests that the company had been heading for a beat against forecasts for the full year.

Citi analysts estimated the lower deliveries would have been expected to lead to a profit hit of 400 million to 450 million euros and 600 million euros lower cash.

Boeing, which is recovering from a severe corporate and industrial crisis affecting the competing 737 MAX jets, said on Tuesday it expected positive cash flow in 2026, sending its shares up 10%.t

($1 = 0.8590 euros)

Reporting by Dimitri Rhodes in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak

Cyclone-induced floods and landslides have left 463 missing across the three provinces of West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh, according to revised government figures

International News via Reuters:

Authorities battling floods on Indonesia’s island of Sumatra that killed about 800 people this week have appealed for more central government help to tackle shortages of funds, food and fuel in relief efforts.

Cyclone-induced floods and landslides have left 463 missing across the three provinces of West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh, according to revised government figures, while local officials said severed power and road links were blocking access to aid.

In East Aceh, fuel was limited for days, with aid coming via boats and some people living in isolated districts were facing the looming threat of hunger, said its chief Iskandar Usman Al-Farlaky.

“Food stocks in three districts are dwindling and hunger is around the corner,” he told Reuters, requesting a national emergency declaration from the central government. “The regional budget is limited.”

FUEL AND RICE SUPPLIES DWINDLING

National data shows that 135,000 people in East Aceh were affected by the disaster.

In Central Aceh, where 21 were killed and floods affected 54,000, supplies of fuel and rice were dwindling, said its chief, Haili Yoga, who is also among the four regional leaders urging the central government to declare a national emergency as public anger grows.

Across Indonesia, the floods have affected 3.1 million, with 592,600 evacuated.

Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said Indonesia’s budget of 500 billion rupiah ($30 million) for disaster relief was sufficient, adding that the figure could be increased if necessary.

The comments followed remarks to reporters this week by President Prabowo Subianto, responding to a query about declaring a national emergency, that the situation was improving and current arrangements were enough.

WITH NO FRESH WATER, PEOPLE TURN TO MUDDY FLOODWATERS

Fuel supplies were also limited in Aceh’s Pidie Jaya region, said its chief Sibral Malasyi.

Residents of Aceh Tamiang were cleaning and drinking muddy flood water for lack of fresh water, KompasTV reported.

Jonathan Victor Rembeth, an official at the disaster mitigation agency, said a national emergency could be called if provincial governments declared their inability to respond to a disaster, which they have not yet done.

Indonesia, which is regularly hit by natural disasters, most recently declared a national emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The law provides for the president to declare a national emergency, freeing up additional funds for relief and rescue.

On social media, Indonesians criticised the central government for not declaring an emergency and cited cuts to the budget for the disaster mitigation agency, which official data showed was down 50% this year from the last.

Indonesia’s home affairs minister, Tito Karnavian, said he had asked regional governments in areas not affected by the floods to donate unused funds to those affected.

State energy firm Pertamina faces fuel distribution challenges in “nearly all” the flood-affected areas, its spokesperson Muhammad Baron said. The company was seeking alternative routes, but delivery would take time.

Green groups blame deforestation and illegal logging for worsening the disaster.

($1=16,625.0000 rupiah)

Reporting by Stanley Widianto, Ananda Teresia, Gayatri Suroyo, Fransiska Nangoy, Stefanno Sulaiman, Dewi Kurniawati in Jakarta and Hidayatullah in Pidie Jaya, Indonesia; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Alex Richardson

Commercial airline pilots often conceal mental health conditions for fear that disclosing therapy or medication, or even just seeking help, could mean having their license pulled

International News via Reuters:

Annie Vargas could see her son slipping away and pleaded with him to seek help. But her son, Brian Wittke, a 41-year-old Delta Air Lines pilot and father of three, pushed back, terrified that getting treatment for depression would cost him his license and livelihood.

The drop in air travel during the pandemic kept Wittke at home more and affected his mental health, Vargas told Reuters.  

On the morning of June 14, 2022, Vargas tried to reach Wittke by text, but his location data was disabled. By the time it reappeared, Wittke had died by suicide in the Utah mountains near his home outside Salt Lake City.

Commercial airline pilots often conceal mental health conditions for fear that disclosing therapy or medication, or even just seeking help, could mean having their license pulled, putting themselves and their passengers at risk, according to Reuters interviews with three dozen pilots, medical experts and industry officials, as well as a review of medical studies.

For this story, Reuters spoke to at least 24 commercial pilots at U.S. and foreign carriers who said that they were reluctant to disclose mental health issues — even minor or treatable ones — fearing immediate grounding and a lengthy, costly medical review that could end their careers.

The pilots Reuters spoke to cited multiple reasons for not coming forward with mental health challenges, including airline policies, regulatory requirements and social stigma.

REAL PEOPLE, REAL PROBLEMS

“Real people have real problems,” Vargas said. “And they shouldn’t be penalized for dealing with it.”

Vargas said she was speaking to Reuters because she hoped the family’s tragedy would challenge the culture surrounding mental health in the aviation industry. The news agency corroborated details of her account with Wittke’s wife.

Delta said Wittke was a valued team member and called his death “tragic and heartbreaking”. It also said the pilot community had a stigma against seeking mental health services.   

Like many major U.S. carriers, Delta offers confidential peer support programs and counseling services for staff. It recently launched a new employee assistance program for pilots, offering access to therapy and coaching and taking into account medical certification requirements.   

“We will continue to work tirelessly to deliver additional solutions,” the airline said. 

In most industries, individuals can seek medical or psychological treatment without involving employers or regulators, such as the Federal Aviation Administration.

Aviation operates under stricter standards: pilots must meet rigorous physical and psychological criteria to maintain their FAA medical certification, in some cases undergoing medical exams every six months. Pilots who report anxiety or depression may be grounded. While mild cases can be cleared quickly, severe conditions require an extensive FAA review that can take up to a year or more.

The FAA said in a statement that it is committed to prioritizing the mental health of pilots and is continually updating its approach based on the best medical science available.

FEAR OF BEING GROUNDED

A decade after a Germanwings pilot with a history of severe depression flew an Airbus A320 jet into a French mountainside, the global aviation industry has yet to formulate a uniform global framework for addressing pilot mental health and stigma remains a major barrier, according to Reuters interviews.

 The European Union Aviation Safety Agency requires airlines to offer peer-support programs for pilots and has strengthened oversight of medical examiners. 

In the United States, the FAA has broadened its list of approved antidepressants and other medications used to treat mental health conditions. It has established a pathway for pilots who disclose an ADHD diagnosis. Meanwhile, airlines and pilot unions have expanded confidential peer support programs.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority allows pilots with depression and anxiety to keep their medical certification on a case-by-case basis — even while receiving treatment — if safety risks are managed. Kate Manderson, CASA’s principal medical officer, said her team typically resolves certification reviews in 20 days.

But the gap between policy and perception remains wide. In a 2023 study of 5,170 U.S. and Canadian pilots, more than half reported avoiding healthcare because of concerns about losing flying status. The feeling is captured by a morbid saying in the pilot community: “If you aren’t lying, you aren’t flying.”

Pilot unions, advocacy groups, and industry organizations are urging the FAA to adopt the recommendations of its Aviation Rulemaking Committee — steps to protect pilots who disclose issues and speed their return to duty. In September, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to require the FAA to implement those changes within two years. 

WAITING TO BE CLEARED TO FLY

For U.S. commercial airline pilot Elizabeth Carll, 36, those reforms can’t come soon enough. In 2021, she was grounded during her pilot training after she disclosed she was on a low dose of an anti-anxiety medication. After a mandatory six-month waiting period, she waited six months for an appointment with an FAA-approved mental health specialist. The regulator then spent more than a year reviewing her report — only to deem it outdated and order a new exam. 

Carll, who worked as a flight dispatcher while training, did not face financial hardship, but she told Reuters any medication change could trigger the same lengthy, costly process.

“The joke is you just ignore it and pretend it doesn’t happen because people are afraid that their livelihoods are going to be taken away.”

 An FAA spokesperson told Reuters the agency is updating its mental health policies and has approved more medications. The spokesperson did not comment on Carll’s case when asked, and did not disclose the typical turnaround time to review medical reports for pilots who have undergone mental health treatment.

“We encourage pilots to seek help early if they have a mental-health condition since most, if treated, do not disqualify a pilot from flying,” the FAA spokesperson said.

Pilot wellbeing returned to the spotlight in June when an Air India Flight 171 crashed after takeoff, killing 260 people. A preliminary investigation report found both fuel cutoff switches had been manually moved, ruling out mechanical failure. The final report is months away.

After the crash, the Indian government said Air India recorded a slight increase in pilots taking sick leave across all fleets. The airline responded by directing pilots to a mental wellness app, Reuters found. 

Air India did not provide a comment.

In November, former Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph David Emerson was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation after pleading guilty to interfering with flight crew and attempting to shut down the engines of a passenger plane in 2023 while riding off duty in the cockpit. Court documents show Emerson told police he was having a nervous breakdown and had taken psychedelic mushrooms, which are sometimes used to treat depression.  

He declined to be interviewed for this story. 

‘A BETTER PILOT TODAY’

When a pilot is grounded for a health concern, the financial fallout can be significant. After using up sick time, they are often placed on disability, which can significantly reduce their income.

Troy Merritt, a 33-year-old U.S. commercial airline pilot, voluntarily grounded himself in December 2022 and started taking medication after realizing depression and anxiety had compromised his ability to fly safely, he said.

Getting back in the cockpit meant six months on stable medication and a series of psychological and cognitive tests — some of which were not covered by health insurance. He told Reuters the process cost him about $11,000.

Reuters could not independently confirm this figure.

The FAA rulemaking committee has identified significant out-of-pocket medical expenses as a major barrier discouraging pilots from seeking care. In a report last year, the committee noted that insurance cover for mental health diagnoses is typically limited, even under comprehensive plans.

By the time Merritt returned to flying, he had been grounded for 18 months and was living on disability insurance. He said pilots should not have to wait six months to reapply for a medical certificate if they respond well to treatment, and that the FAA should review such applications within 30 days.

“Avoiding mental health care opens up the door to pilots who avoid taking care of their health. And that’s when problems can arise in the cockpit,” Merritt said from his home near Los Angeles International Airport.

 Merritt, who spoke on the condition that Reuters did not identify his employer, said he’s living proof that mental health care makes for better pilots in the long run.   

After recovering, he trained to fly on larger aircraft and to destinations like Shanghai and Hong Kong, long-haul flights he once found too daunting.

“I’m a better pilot today than I was before,” he said.

Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Salt Lake City and Chicago, Dan Catchpole in Seattle, Erica Stapleton in Phoenix and Salt Lake City, and Joe Brock in Los Angeles. Additional reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York City, Lisa Barrington in Seoul, and Aditya Kalra and Abhijith Ganapavaram in New Delhi; Editing by Joe Brock and Suzanne Goldenberg