Historic Swiss solar-powered plane crashes into sea / Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI - AFP/File
-
'He's here with me': Japan cycle queen dedicates gold to late brother
-
Penalty hero rues empty seats as Games hosts Japan win football gold
-
Japan Olympic chief says 'lot more' athletes at Games than expected
-
North Korea fires ballistic missile after Seoul's apology demand
-
Asian carmakers besting US rivals at home, China poised to strike
-
US regulator finds Boeing 737 MAX software bug 'not a safety concern'
-
Widgets & Web Offers All-Inclusive Investor Relations Websites for Public Companies, IPOs and SPACs
-
Ohtani 'managing' injuries as Dodgers launch MLB post-season
-
Adams named new US captain to 2030 World Cup
-
Botched US execution leaves murderer unconscious on ventilator: lawyers
-
China a better influence in Latin America than US: poll
-
Cornell rape case exposes sexual violence at US colleges
-
Judge pauses construction of border project in Texas national park
-
France held by Italy in Zidane's homecoming after Olise stunner
-
Belgium's De Bruyne fires double to sink Turkey, France held by Italy
-
Ethiopian pro-government militia claims Tigray airport as regional tensions spike
-
US jobs data boosts stocks as oil prices dip
-
Ohtani shaking off injuries as Dodgers launch MLB post-season
-
US Supreme Court to hear high-stakes climate case
-
Sea levels to rise in California as coastal wave surges up west coast
-
Trump expected to name intel chief Clayton as AI czar: reports
-
New rallies urged in France as protests disrupt over 730 schools
-
Argentina unveils passports-for-investment scheme
-
Djokovic survives China Open scare, Sabalenka starts strong
-
Brazil election debate chaos sparks censorship row
-
King Charles to evoke colonial 'darkest days' on Caribbean tour
-
England's Carse charged by cricket body over nightclub incident
-
Tesla shares jump after global car sales top estimates
-
Amazon vows $1 bn for data center towns, decries 'myths'
-
DR Congo Ebola outbreak killed more than 4,000: official figures
-
Oil prices drop on G7 fuel release, US jobs data boosts stocks
-
Djokovic survives China Open scare against wildcard world no. 104
-
G7 agrees deal to ease global energy supply concerns
-
Lula, Bolsonaro trade blows in final scramble for votes in Brazil
-
Spain's government dealt blow as lawmakers reject housing bills
-
New clashes erupt as protests disrupt over 560 French schools
-
Food, medicine shortages deepen in Russian-occupied Oleshky
-
NY governor vows to close loophole after alleged Cornell gang rape
-
Man City whistleblower Rui Pinto facing 'dire consequences' - lawyers
-
Ethiopia Tigray rebels pushed back as regional tensions spike
-
Russia 'tearing Kyiv apart', mayor says, as strikes paralyse traffic
-
Stocks rise, yields fall as US job numbers disappoint
-
Taiwan boxer Lin wins Games gold as Japan edge North Korea on penalties
-
Man City verdict a 'big topic' for England players, says Tuchel
-
Japan tame North Korea to win Games gold after shootout drama
-
NY attorney general tasked with investigating alleged Cornell gang rape
-
US posts weak job growth data in September
-
China widens military footprint with Laos air base
-
Ethiopia's conflict: the regional dimension
-
G7 talks as US pressures Europe over diesel stocks
Historic Swiss solar-powered plane crashes into sea
The experimental plane Solar Impulse 2, which completed a historic round-the-world trip in 2016 without using jet fuel, crashed into the Gulf of Mexico recently, its owner revealed.
Flown by Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, Solar Impulse 2 circumnavigated the globe in 17 stages, covering a remarkable 26,700 miles (43,000 kilometers) across four continents, two oceans and three seas, in 23 days of flying without using a drop of fuel.
Three years after the globe-trotting flight, the solar-powered vessel was sold to Skydweller Aero, which converted the aircraft into a drone to carry out "controlled ditching," the company said in a press release issued Tuesday.
Skydweller Aero said Solar Impulse 2 took off from Stennis, Mississippi on April 26 but crashed into the Gulf of Mexico on May 4.
"Ultimately, a record-breaking flight of 8 days and 14 minutes validates the reality of perpetual, solar-powered flight in a military mission-relevant environment," the company said, in reference to a US Navy exercise in which the vessel was used.
The US National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the accident.
N.Esteves--PC
