Asiana Airlines flight No. 214

[GeneChing]

Master Jin of Elite Martial Arts Academy is a very close friend, longtime of Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php). I'm told he was with this group in Korea, but did not return on the flight. We worked together on the load-in for Tiger Claw Elite Championship (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64253)s last month. We are so grateful that none of his group were hurt and extend our condolences to everyone who suffered in this horrible tragedy.

Martial arts academy owner posts 'all home safe' (http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_23612329/scotts-valley-group-crashed-airliner-at-sfo)
By Calvin Men
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Posted: 07/06/2013 06:18:33 PM PDT

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site6/2013/0706/20130706__sscs0707crash~1_GALLERY.JPG
Fire crews are on the scene after an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crashed on... ( JOHN GREEN )

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO -- A group with Scotts Valley ties was on the plane that crash landed Saturday at San Francisco International Airport.

The group was part of Elite Martial Arts Academy in Scotts Valley and it was on its way back from a martial arts event in South Korea.

Elliot Stone, owner of the academy, said the group was fine in an interview on CNN.

Stone was with nine other people who were from the Santa Cruz area. The 10 were among the 307 people onboard the Boeing 777 flight that crash landed.

According to reports, at least two people were killed.

Asiana Airlines flight No. 214 crashed around 11:30 a.m. at SFO. The flight began in China with a stop in South Korea.

Stone recollected his experience with CNN.

"It seemed like we were a little bit high and could see the tarmac down below us, and we were coming down kind of sharp. Then right when it started to coast for the landing, all of a sudden the engine was all (high-pitched sound)," he told to CNN, imitating the sound of the engine the moment before impact. "And then just boom. The back end just hit and flies up in the air and everybody's head goes up to the ceiling."

The National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and FBI are investigating.

Among Stone's group were his family, girlfriend and several other martial arts students from his academy, Stone told CNN.

The group was seated in the central area of coach section. Stone said some passengers fell out of the back of the plane during the crash, Stone said in the CNN interview. "It was the most terrible thing I've seen."

"The back got the worst of it," he said.

After the plane struck the runway, the aircraft fishtailed and rolled over before stopping, he said. He also described a fire starting.

"That's when all the passengers jumped out," he said in the interview.

Stone described a fiery scene with other passengers bleeding and limping away. He recounted seeing bodies 500 yards away from where he was and calling ambulances over for help.

A message posted on Elite's Facebook Page confirmed that the group arrived home safe.

"Everyone is home and resting after a long and exhausting day," the message read about nine hours after the crash. "Thank you for all the good wishes and we look forward to seeing everyone next week!"

"The ambulances took like 20, 30 minutes to get there," Stone told CNN. "It was ridiculous."

The group were in South Korea for a martial arts competition and to test for martial arts ranks, Stone said. Stone's master is from South Korea, he said.

Santa Cruz resident Jenny Campbell has two daughters who attend Stone's academy. She said she was relieved when after learning the group was fine. Campbell's daughters were not on the flight.

"He's quite the man so we're all very glad he's OK," Campbell said.

Stone is a great leader and great with kids, she said.

Campbell said she was aware Stone and his group were in South Korea because of the academy's Facebook page. When Campbell learned about the crash, she reasoned he was on the flight.

"The last (thing) they posted was 12 hours ago and (the news) said it was 12-hour plane ride and I said,' Oh no, this can't be good,'" she said.

Campbell, as well as her two daughters, were relieved upon reading the message.

"They're such wonderful people and it would've been horrendous for any of them to get hurt on a such a nice trip," she said.

San Francisco General Hospital was treating 52 patients of the reported 182 hospitalized, said hospital spokeswoman Rachael Kagan in an e-mail. Patients arrived in four waves:

The first wave had 10 patients were six female patients and four male patients. Eight are adults from their 20s to 40s. Two are children. Five patients were in critical condition, including a child. Five are in serious condition.

The second wave had 17 patients from critical to good condition. The breakdown of their ages and genders were not available.

The third wave had seven patients. Their conditions and other data was not available.

The fourth wave had 18 patients. These patients were reported to be in the best shape, with most being able to walk and talk.

[Syn7]

That sucks. My girl is taking a flight tomorrow. Not a good look.

I read there were two deaths. Not to trivialize that, but it could have been much much worse. Thankfully it happened in a way that they were able to at least mitigate some of the damage.

Hopefully everyone recovers quickly and is able to go back to enjoying life to its fullest. I'm not sure if I could walk away from something like that and not be freaked right out. It's not so much the crash, but the complete lack of control in the situation. You just gotta sit there, go with it, and hope it isn't too bad.

[GeneChing]

KTVU has launched this boastful ad campaign now about how they were first to get a report aired on this disaster. There's a vid if you follow the link.

KTVU Reports Asiana Air Pilots Were “Sum Ting Wong” and “Ho Lee Fuk” (http://gawker.com/ktvu-reports-asiana-air-pilots-were-sum-ting-wong-and-759185714?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_twitter&utm_source=gawker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow)
http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18to4p3wjo0v4jpg/ku-xlarge.jpg

Bay Area news station KTVU just reported that the pilots of Asiana's disastrous flight 214 were the crack team of "Sum Ting Wong," "Wi Tu Lo," "Ho Lee Fuk," and "Bang Ding Ow."

Despite the names obviously being just a bunch of racist jokes, KTVU, which has since apologized for the report, claims in a statement given to Gawker—and read on the air—that an NTSB official confirmed the names to them earlier today.

EARLIER IN THE NEWSCAST WE GAVE SOME NAMES OF PILOTS INVOLVED IN THE ASIANA AIRLINES CRASH. THESE NAMES WERE NOT ACCURATE DESPITE AN N-T-S-B OFFICIAL IN WASHINGTON CONFIRMING THEM LATE THIS MORNING. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THIS ERROR.

Update: NTSB Public Affairs Officer Peter Knudson just told me that the the NTSB's policy is to never give out pilot names in these situations, which contradicts KTVU's claims. "I don’t know who [KTVU] got that from, but we do not release names," he said.

[Syn7]

KTVU has launched this boastful ad campaign now about how they were first to get a report aired on this disaster. There's a vid if you follow the link.

Whoa. And nobody there thought this might go bad for them? Jeez. Even my racist uncle knows better than that!

[GeneChing]

The boastful ad campaign was running prior to this name kerfuffle. It's still running in the wake of it.

[Jimbo]

Tasteless but predictable, don't you think?

In this era of so-called political correctness, where most major media walk on eggshells not to offend most groups, Asians in general are still often considered fair game. Unless whoever does it is called on it; then they give a disingenuous apology.

[Syn7]

I see racism is live and well all over.

I saw a video the other day of Ted Nugent talking to some group about how he was shooting pigs from a helicopter. He ended with something like "now only if I could fly over south central" and that seemed to get a good laugh.

[GeneChing]

Wait, shouldn't Asiana be sued for crashing the **** plane? Sum Ting Wong here. :rolleyes:

Asiana to sue San Francisco TV station over names (http://news.yahoo.com/asiana-sue-san-francisco-tv-043218547.html)
Associated Press
23 hours ago

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- Asiana announced Monday that it will sue a San Francisco TV station that it said damaged the airline's reputation by using bogus and racially offensive names for four pilots on a plane that crashed earlier this month in San Francisco.

An anchor for KTVU-TV read the names on the air Friday and then apologized after a break. The report was accompanied by a graphic with the phony names listed alongside a photo of the burned-out plane that had crashed at San Francisco International Airport on July 6, killing three and injuring dozens.

Video of the report has spread widely across the Internet since it was broadcast.

The National Transportation Safety Board has also apologized, saying a summer intern erroneously confirmed the names of the flight crew.

Asiana has decided to sue KTVU-TV to "strongly respond to its racially discriminatory report" that disparaged Asians, Asiana spokeswoman Lee Hyomin said. She said the airline will likely file suit in U.S. courts.

She said the report seriously damaged Asiana's reputation. Asiana decided not to sue the NTSB because it said it was the TV station report, not the U.S. federal agency that damaged the airline's reputation. Lee did not elaborate.

Tom Raponi, KTVU Vice President & General Manager, said in a statement that KTVU would not be making any further comment because of the airline's threat of a lawsuit.

Neither the station nor the NTSB has said where the names originated.

The four pilots, who underwent questioning by a U.S. and South Korean joint investigation team while in the United States, returned to South Korea on Saturday. South Korean officials plan to conduct separate interviews with them, South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said.

[Jimbo]

Wait, shouldn't Asiana be sued for crashing the **** plane? Sum Ting Wong here. :rolleyes:

A very poor attempt by Asiana at diverting attention away from the real issue here.

[bawang]

making fun of Asians dying and killing black children like cokroaches

whats new lol

[GeneChing]

...a much better strategy.


Asiana won't sue KTVU for mistake (http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Asiana-won-t-sue-KTVU-for-mistake-4670115.php)
Will Kane
Updated 4:15 pm, Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Asiana Airlines has dropped its threat to sue a local TV station for an on-air gaffe identifying the pilots in this month's plane crash by racially offensive names, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The South Korean airline had said it would sue KTVU-TV after the station misidentified the four pilots aboard Asiana Flight 214 when it crashed at San Francisco International Airport on July 6.

The station has not explained how the names, including Sum Ting Wong and Wi Tu Lo, made it onto its noon newscast Friday. KTVU said it had confirmed the names with the National Transportation Safety Board, but the agency said a summer intern acting outside his authority had mistakenly said the names were accurate.

The intern has since been fired, and KTVU has apologized for the mistake.

Asiana Airlines had said this week that it intended to sue KTVU for "using racially charged epithets" that "disparaged Asiana, its employees and all Asians." But the airline said Wednesday that it had accepted the TV station's apology and would not sue.

The airline will instead "keep all of its resources dedicated to caring for the passengers and family members of Asiana Flight 214 and supporting the investigation into the cause of the accident," said Ki Won Suh, a company spokesman.

Three people died in the crash and 180 were injured.

[David Jamieson]

What a crock.

Blame it on an intern? That is weak, lame and all the other invectives I can gather.
The people in charge at the TV station and at the board should get their heads knocked. They were being racist ass hats. An intern can't do anything without approval from someone who supervises.

So, that's a lie they are trying to sell.
Crikey, this stuff just p1sses me off to no end.

weak ass mealy mouthed useless media types who haven't got the guts to admit it when they made a grievous error.

[GeneChing]

Not sure if this is true or if it's a web prank.

Korean News Station Pokes Fun at KTVU with Fake American Pilot Names After Southwest Airlines Landing Gear Failure (http://slothed.com/2013/07/23/korean-news-station-pokes-fun-at-ktvu-with-fake-american-pilot-names-after-southwest-airlines-landing-gear-failure/)
By James Poling on July 23, 2013

http://everyotherdomainwastaken.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/american-pilots.jpg?w=630&h=349

You probably remember KTVU’s royal eff up with reading obviously fake Asian names for the pilots of the Asiana crash. Names like “Wi To Lo” and “Ho Lee Fuk”.

It looks like a Korean news agency is having some fun at KTVU’s expense. After the landing gear failure of the Southwest flight at LGA they showed this graphic with American pilot names “Captain Kent Parker Wright”, “Co-Captain Wyatt Wooden Workman”.

They even went as far as making up fake names for people to interview. Flight instructor “Heywood U. Flye-Moore” and skeptical passenger “Macy Lawyers”.

Well played Korean TV, well played.

[GeneChing]

However, some heads did roll at KTVU.


KTVU producers fired over Asiana pilots' fake names (http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/KTVU-producers-fired-over-Asiana-pilots-fake-4685627.php)
Matier & Ross
Updated 10:58 pm, Wednesday, July 24, 2013

KTVU-TV has dismissed at least three veteran producers over the on-air gaffe involving the fake names of those Asiana airline pilots that became an instant YouTube hit - and a major embarrassment to the station.

Station sources confirmed late Wednesday that investigative producer Roland DeWolk, special projects producer Cristina Gastelu and producer Brad Belstock were all sent packing following an in-house investigation into the July 12 broadcast of four fake names of the pilots involved in the Asiana Flight 214 crash at San Francisco International Airport on July 6.

A fourth - noon news producer Elvin Sledge - told colleagues he was leaving for health reasons.

News of the firings was first reported on Rich Lieberman's 415 Media blog.

During its noon newscast on July 12, anchor Tori Campbell announced that "KTVU has just learned the names of the four pilots who were on board" the ill-fated plane - then proceeded to read from a teleprompter while the phony names were displayed on a graphic.

The names she gave were Capt. Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Lo, Ho Lee Fuk and Bang Ding Ow.

Only after the station returned from a break did Campbell - who had clearly been unaware of the mistake - read an on-air correction, telling viewers that the station had confirmed the names with the National Transportation Safety Board.

By day's end, the NTSB issued its own apology for "inaccurate and offensive names that were mistakenly confirmed" to KTVU. Soon after, the NTSB announced that it had fired a summer intern over the incident.

During the evening newscast, anchor Frank Somerville also apologized to viewers, and the station vowed to review its own policies. It has kept largely mum since.

Two days ago, blogs began posting that Cox Communications, KTVU's parent company, had sent copyright infringement notices to YouTube - demanding that the offensive video of Campbell's newscast be removed.

In a statement that appeared on TVSpy.com, KTVU General Manager Tom Raponi said the move was made out of consideration for the Asian American community. "Consistent with our apology, we are carrying through with our responsibility to minimize the thoughtless repetition of the video by others," he said in the statement.

Raponi added, "Most people have seen it," and that "continuing to show the video is also insensitive and offensive, especially to the many in our Asian community."

Sources tell us the fake names - which had been posted on the Internet at least two days before - came to the station via e-mail from an expert source who had provided information to the station in the past.

KTVU News Director Lee Rosenthal called newsroom staff into a conference room Wednesday and informed them of the dismissals.

Rosenthal did not return our calls late Wednesday seeking comment.

Colleagues said they were saddened, but not completely surprised by the dismissals given the international attention the gaffe got, including a threat - later dropped - by Asiana to sue to the station.

"People are definitely down about it," one source said.

Randy Shandobil, former KTVU political editor who left the station 2 1/2 years ago, because "people were working harder and harder and feeling less secure about what was hitting the air," said Wednesday the episode was emblematic of the pressure news reporters everywhere are under to get information out as quickly as possible.

At Channel 2 and elsewhere, "People are overtaxed and have more responsibility sometimes than they can handle. And sometimes, in situations like this, terrible mistakes happen that are bigger than one person. It's systemic."

[Hebrew Hammer]

Asiana no longer suing San Francisco TV station.

July 17, 2013 .SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Asiana Airlines said Wednesday it no longer plans to sue a San Francisco TV station over the use of racially offensive names.

The South Korean air carrier said that KTVU-TV has already apologized for using fake names for four pilots on a plane that crashed in San Francisco on July 6. It will no longer sue, as it had said it would do.

Asiana says it wants to focus on supporting passengers and families. The crash killed three and injured dozens.

Last week, an anchor for KTVU-TV read the fake names — apparently someone's idea of a prank to use fake Asian-style names that sounded out distress calls and curse words — on air and then apologized after a break.

Asiana earlier said the report seriously damaged its reputation. It said Monday that it would sue the TV station to respond to the racially discriminatory report that disparaged Asians.

This according to the AP


What's more damaging to your to your reputation crashing a brand new airliner or some TV station using fake insensitive names? I must admit I found this little play on plane crashes amusing. I also came across another article about asian drivers, which I can't find now, that said India and Korea have some of the highest driver fatality rates in the world. Sometimes stereo types are founded in truth...don't get me started about some of the Jewish ones.

[Jimbo]

I also came across another article about asian drivers, which I can't find now, that said India and Korea have some of the highest driver fatality rates in the world. Sometimes stereo types are founded in truth...don't get me started about some of the Jewish ones.

The way people drove in Taiwan was pretty wild.

That said, here in the States, the worst drivers I come across are usually anything but Asians...white, black, Hispanic. I would bet that in most countries of the world, driving like a maniac (by U.S. standards) is considered fairly normal.