Missing Plane Search 'Could Take 5 to 7 Days'

By Nick Martin, News Correspondent, in Perth

Australian officials supervising the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight have said that an underwater search for the black box recorder based on "pings" possibly from the device could be completed in five to seven days.

It comes as search teams say the submarine currently scanning the ocean floor remains "the best lead" in finding the plane.

The US Navy-operated Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has now covered an area of 82 square miles (133 sq km) and has completed six missions.

But its sonar scanners have detected nothing, Sky News understands.

The Bluefin-21 submersible has already carried out six descents

After nearly six weeks without any sign of the plane, the current underwater search has been narrowed to a circular 6.2-mile (10km) area around the location where one of the pings thought to come from the missing flight's black box was detected earlier this month.

The submersible is likely to take up to a week to cover the refined search area.

The Bluefin-21 has now started its seventh descent to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

It takes two hours for the unmanned submersible to travel more than 4,500m to the seabed where it spends 16 hours at a time using sonar scanners to map the ocean floor. Data is then downloaded at the surface.

The Chinese ship Hai Xin 01 conducts a search in the southern Indian Ocean

No sign of the plane has been picked up, said search officials based in Perth, Australia.

"Overnight, Bluefin-21 AUV completed mission six in the underwater search area. Data from the sixth mission is currently under analysis. No contacts of interest have been found to date," said an official.

"This is the best lead we have in the search for missing flight MH370."

Hishammuddin Hussein, acting Malaysia Transport Minister, told a news conference on Saturday: "The immediate search area that the Bluefin-21 is scouring should be completed within the next week.

"All efforts will be intensified in the next few days in regards to the search."

The underwater hunt is complicated by the depth of the largely unexplored sea floor. The US Navy's unmanned sub has already gone beyond its recommended limit of 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).

Malaysia flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 bound for Beijing. But an hour into the flight it disappeared from radar. There were 239 people on board, mostly Chinese citizens.

Some families of those on board refuse to believe the aircraft crashed into the sea and have instead denounced the search effort as a cover-up.

Up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships are assisting the search over the long Easter bank holiday weekend. The total search area is 31,000 square miles (50,200 sq km), across three areas.

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Car Catches Fire In Longleat's Lion Enclosure

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

A family have been rescued by safari park rangers after their car caught fire in the middle of the lion enclosure.

The drama unfolded at Longleat, Wiltshire, which was packed with visitors enjoying the long Easter weekend at the time.

George Lear, 16, from Bristol, was just a few cars away when the blaze broke out.

"We saw all the lions were staring at something and we turned around to see a smoking car," he said.

"Once the rangers had realised, they quickly escorted people from the smoking car to their own, blocked off the roads and moved the other cars away.

Lions are able to wander close to cars as they pass through their enclosure

"The car then slowly caught fire before the whole thing went up, leaving the place filled with black smoke."

Mr Lear said the lions were about 150 metres away from the car at the time.

"They kept their distance but didn't take their eyes off the fire and smoke," he said.

"The rangers were pushing them back but they were reluctant on moving away and looked interested."

No-one at Longleat Safari Park was available for comment when contacted by Sky News.

However, it is thought the fire was put out quickly, with no reports of injuries to any people or animals.

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Twin Boys Fight Off Carjacker With Toy Snake

A thief who stole a car with three children in the back was forced to pull over when one of the youngsters began whipping him with a rubber snake.

The carjacker jumped into the vehicle outside Lucia Lozada's home in San Antonio, Texas, as the family prepared to go to church.

The children's distraught mother called police but just 10 minutes later, the seven-year-old twin boys and their one-year-old brother were safe after taking matters into their own hands.

Sergeant Javier Salazar of the San Antonio Police Department told ABC News: "One of the boys was punching the man in the face and the other was hitting him with a rubber snake."

The boys were reunited their mum after a girl ran for help. Pic: ABC News

Hermini Segovia, the children's grandmother, said the thief "just wanted the car" and let the boys keep their tablet computer.

"He even shook their hands before dropping them off," she added.

The boys were soon reunited with their parents after a girl who was playing outside a house in the street where their ordeal came to an end spoke to them and got them help.

Sgt Salazar added: "The parents were thanking us for getting their children back so quickly but we're crediting the twins who are as cute and as brave as can be."

A police spokesman said officers were searching for a white male in his 30s who has tattoos on both legs and is often seen in the Colglazier and Pecan Valley neighbourhoods on foot.

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South Korea Ferry Disaster Captain's Apology

The captain of a ferry that capsized off the coast of South Korea leaving more than 200 children dead or missing has apologised to the families of the victims.

In a televised address with his head bowed, Lee Joon-Seok said he had delayed the order to abandon the Sewol because he thought the sea was too cold and that the passengers, mostly children, would "drift away".

South Korea's coastguard found another three bodies on Saturday morning, bringing the confirmed death toll to 32. More than 270 passengers in total are still missing.

A member from the South Korean Navy's SSU dives into the sea off Jindo

Divers trying to find the missing have seen more bodies inside the submerged vessel but have been unable to reach them. 

The discoveries of the bodies came as it emerged the third mate steering the ferry at the time of the accident was navigating the waters for the first time.

Senior prosecutor Yang Jung-jin told reporters that the officer, a 25-year-old woman, was steering the ship as it passed through an area with lots of islands clustered close together and fast currents.

Divers say they have seen bodies through the windows of the sunken ship

Mr Yang said that another mate usually took controls through the area but, because heavy fog caused a departure delay, the third mate was steering.

The 69-year-old captain, described as an industry veteran by the ship's owners and an "expert" by others, was arrested on suspicion of negligence and abandoning people in need.

Investigators are looking into whether Lee's evacuation order came too late to save lives. Two crew members have also been arrested for failing in their duty to assist passengers.

Oh Yong-Seok, a helmsman on the ferry, said when the crew sent a distress call, the ship was already listing more than five degrees.

A family member of a passenger waits for news from rescue teams in Jindo

About half an hour later, Lee finally gave the order for the passengers to abandon ship, according to Mr Oh.

Investigations are also focusing on whether problems with cargo stowage and structural defects of the vessel might have led to the ship capsizing.

Addressing journalists, Lee said: "I am sorry to the people of South Korea for causing a disturbance and I bow my head in apology to the families of the victims.

"I gave instructions regarding the route, then I briefly went to the bedroom and then it happened.

"At the time, the current was very strong, temperature of the ocean water was cold, and I thought that if people left the ferry without (proper) judgement, if they were not wearing a life jacket, and even if they were, they would drift away and face many other difficulties.

"The rescue boats had not arrived yet, nor were there any civilian fishing ships or other boats nearby at that time. There was a mistake on my behalf as well but the steering (gear of the ship) turned further than it was supposed to."

Lee was speaking as divers searching for some 200 missing people say they looked through a window of the ship and saw three bodies inside the sunken vessel but were unable to retrieve them.

No sounds have been heard from the hull which has now disappeared under the water. Rescuers say hopes of finding survivors are fading.

The number of passengers confirmed dead currently stands at 28.

Some 325 passengers were students from Danwon High School near Seoul.

They were on a school trip making a 13-hour journey to the holiday island of Jeju.

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Man Held Over Killing Of Continuity IRA Leader

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of former dissident republican leader Tommy Crossan.

The 43-year-old was shot dead at a fuel depot in an industrial complex near the Peter Pan centre in West Belfast on Friday - the sixteenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) tweeted: "Serious Crime Branch detectives investigating the murder of a 43-year-old man in West Belfast yesterday have arrested a 26-year-old man."

Detective Superintendent John Roberts appealed for information about a red BMW spotted near the murder scene.

He said: "It was a brutal and barbaric attack. He sustained several gunshots to the upper body and I'm appealing for any information from anybody who knows who was involved in this terrible murder to contact police."

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson condemned the shooting.

He said: "The small minority of people who want to continue terrorising the community need to understand that they will not be allowed to drag Northern Ireland back to the dark days of the past.

"They must be hunted down and brought to justice."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "The people behind this killing are criminals and will further no cause through this shooting.

"Whoever carried out this act has nothing to offer the community and have no role to play in our future."

Mr Crossan was the Continuity IRA's former leader and was believed to have been the subject of a death threat from his former allies.

He had been expelled from the group some years ago and was jailed for conspiracy to murder Royal Ulster Constabulary officers following a shooting at a police station in West Belfast in 1998.

The organisation has opposed the peace process which largely ended three decades of violence and transformed the region.

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Aberdeen: Boy Found On Fire After 'Petrol Game'

A seven-year-old boy who suffered serious burns while playing in an Aberdeen street may have been set on fire in a game that went tragically wrong.

Preston Flores, who is believed to have suffered 80% burns, was reportedly playing with friends in Bedford Avenue when he was engulfed in flames.

The children are believed to have taken a petrol can from the back of a van shortly before the fire started, local newspaper The Press and Journal reported.

A police spokesman confirmed petrol was involved but said there was no evidence to suggest the "tragic incident" was a deliberate act.

Witnesses described hearing screams and said the youngster's clothes stuck to his body as neighbours tried to douse the flames.

One relative told the Daily Record that Preston had been "mucking about" with mates before his clothes caught fire.

The boy suffered serious burns as he played in this street. Pic: Google

"I've never seen anything so horrible in my life," the family member said.

"The flames were covering his whole body."

Preston was initially taken to the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital but was moved to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh overnight.

He is being treated in a specialist unit, where his condition is described as critical.

Chief Inspector Nick Topping, the local Police Scotland area commander, said: "We're grateful for the continued assistance we've received from the local community to help us piece together the events leading up to this incident.

"We've spoken to a number of residents about what they saw or heard which has been very helpful and important to our inquiry."

He added: "Our investigation into this tragic incident will continue and I'd reiterate that so far there's been no evidence of any deliberate act."

Anyone who saw what happened or has information that may assist the police inquiry is asked to contact officers on the 101 non-emergency number.

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Marathon Runner's Second Half 'Faster Than Mo's'

Organisers of the London Marathon are looking into how one of the competitors ran the second half of his race faster than Mo Farah.

Jason Scotland-Williams is recorded on the event's official website as running the marathon in 3hrs and 8mins.

The first half of his race took 2hrs 7mins, according to the Virgin Money London Marathon results list.

During his second 13.1 miles, he was able to accelerate so much that he crossed the finish line after another 1hr 1mins.

His second half was completed four minutes quicker than Britain's double Olympic champion, who took 1hr 5mins to cover the same distance.

The amount of time it took Mr Scotland-Williams to complete every 5km was also listed up to the halfway stage, but several of the later 5km 'splits' are missing.

The listing on the website gives the estimated times, but is unable to provide accurate figures.

The Sun newspaper claimed there are allegations the runner jumped the barrier just after the half-way point and rejoined the race at a later stage.

The suggestion is that by missing out a portion of the race, Mr Scotland-Williams was able to post an unusually fast time.

Split times of Jason Scotland-Williams and Mo Farah compared.

A spokeswoman for the marathon confirmed to Sky News that an investigation into Mr Scotland-Williams' times was underway.

She said: "We are aware that unfortunately a few runners who take part in the marathon ... decide to take short cuts.

"We have a number of anti-cheating measures in place during the event itself to remove such runners, and then post event when we analyse split times from our extensive timing points around the course.

"This process is one of many that take place post event and usually takes between 10-15 working days to conclude.

"Runners who are found to have cheated are removed from the results and banned from future London Marathon events."

The Sun approached Mr Scotland-Williams to ask him to explain the discrepancy but he swore at them and refused to comment further.

In 2011, runner Rob Sloan was spotted catching a bus ride at about the 20-mile (32km) mark of the Kielder Marathon in Northumberland.

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Ukraine Crisis: Putin Hints At Thaw With West

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held out the prospect of improved relations with the West following a tense Cold War-style stand-off over Ukraine.

But in a sign there would be no weakening of Moscow's stance, Mr Putin said he would award medals to Russian troops who served during the annexation of Crimea.

It was only recently he admitted the country's military had been involved in events on the Black Sea peninsula.

His comments came as the US warned Russia it will face further sanctions if pro-Russia militia in eastern Ukraine do not disarm, and the Kremlin admitted reinforcement troops had been sent to the border.

Mr Putin says he will award medals to Russian troops who served in Crimea

Up to 40,000 soldiers are now based near the frontier with Ukraine, but Moscow insists it is a precautionary measure.

Speaking in an interview broadcast on Russian state television, Mr Putin hinted at a thaw in relations with Western powers, which have accused the Kremlin of stoking unrest in Ukraine.

He also welcomed the appointment of the new Nato head Jens Stoltenberg

Mr Putin said: "I think there is nothing that would hinder a normalisation and normal cooperation."

But he added: "This does not depend on us. Or rather not only on us. This depends on our partners."

His US counterpart Barack Obama has said further economic and diplomatic action could be taken against Moscow if an international agreement to calm tensions in Ukraine is not implemented.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union agreed on Thursday to a series of steps to "de-escalate" the crisis in Ukraine.

But many of the groups that took over government buildings in a bid to declare independence in eastern Ukraine have yet to leave, saying they will only do so if Ukraine's government steps down too.

Kiev says it has suspended military operations over the Easter weekend, although it it has shown little sign previously of trying to recapture seized buildings.

US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian foreign secretary Sergei Lavrov late on Friday that the "the next few days would be a pivotal period".

The EU has also indicated it will meet to discuss further sanctions if Russia does not act to make the militias disarm.

But earlier, the Kremlin had indicated Russia was not going to be bossed around, issuing a veiled threat.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian television: "Our Western colleagues are trying to push responsibility towards our side. But it must be underlined: it is a collective responsibility."

"We have troops in different regions, and there are troops close to the Ukrainian border.

"Some are based there, others have been sent as reinforcements due to the situation in Ukraine," he added.

The White House said it was watching Moscow to see if it adhered to what had been agreed in Geneva.

Pro-Russians occupying public buildings in 10 eastern Ukrainian cities are demanding a referendum on union with their neighbour, similar to the one held in Crimea that ultimately led to its annexation by Moscow.

Sky's Katie Stallard, in Donetsk, said there was no sign of anyone there acting on the deal reached in Geneva.

She added: "None of those at the talks directly represented those on the ground, particularly those occupying the buildings."

Meanwhile, Europe's Baltic states are in talks to set up their own Russian-language television channel in an attempt to counter the deluge of propaganda aimed at their ethnic Russian populations by Moscow-backed media.

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Easter Weather: Millions Face Heavy Downpours

Easter Sunday and Monday are predicted to be wet for millions of Britons after a dry start to the Bank Holiday weekend.

Heavy showers and thunder are expected in places as rain moves from the southeast of England across central and southern areas and Wales by Sunday afternoon.

It could mean a washout for many people planning outdoor Easter Sunday celebrations following the recent spell of warm weather across most of the UK.

However, the north of England, Northern Ireland and the Republic and Scotland are expected to remain dry on Sunday.

Temperatures across the UK on Sunday are expected to range from 11 to 15C, while on Monday, the mercury could rise to 18C in places, forecasters said.

But the rainy conditions are predicted to become more widespread on Monday.

Many people may have to get out their umbrellas

Sky News meteorologist Dr Chris England said: "It certainly looks as if the southern English counties and London will see heavy, prolonged rain on Sunday.

"That rain will spread to south Wales during the evening, but it will be mainly dry further north.

"The rest of England and Wales will have a lot of cloud and the odd shower, whereas Northern Ireland, the Republic and Scotland will be mainly dry with long spells of sunshine.

"Eastern Irish counties will see a few showers later.

"The cloud and rain will become more extensive overnight and on Monday, but Scotland will stay largely dry while the rain will tend to fade later, with some sunshine coming through.

"So, it won't be a complete washout, although it could be better."

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Teen Punished For Asking Miss America To Prom

A Pennsylvania high school student has been suspended for asking reigning Miss America Nina Davuluri to a prom during her visit to the school.

Nina Davuluri is the reigning Miss America

Ms Davuluri was taking part in a question and answer session at Central York High School when 18-year-old Patrick Farves asked the beauty queen to be his date to the school's upcoming formal dance.

He stood up and popped the question, then walked to the stage with a plastic flower.

The proposal sparked cheers from fellow students in attendance.

But school officials, who heard about Mr Farves' plan in advance, had warned him not to go through with it.

The move resulted in a three-day, in-school suspension.

Mr Farves told local television station WPMT-TV he could not resist.

He said: "She just kind of laughed and I gave her the little flower I got.

"And I went up and I gave her the flower and asked her if I could get a selfie with her. And she was like, 'Maybe later', and I never got the selfie."

Mr Faves later apologised for disrupting the event.

The school said students are disciplined for breaking rules and this incident is no different.

Ms Davuluri was at the school to discuss diversity and the importance of subjects, including science and technology.

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