Tragedy
LA fires as it happened: Death toll rises as residents return to scenes of devastation
Firefighters are still battling fierce infernos across Los Angeles as residents return to burnt-out neighbourhoods to be met with scenes of devastation. Follow our live coverage.
- by Josefine Ganko and Bianca Hall
Latest
More evacuations as fire changes direction, posing new threat to Los Angeles
Some Pacific Palisades residents who were able to return to their devastated neighbourhoods found little more than brick chimneys looming over charred waste.
‘We don’t know the half of it’: More deaths feared in ever-expanding LA fires
Despite a lull in the winds, authorities said it was still unsafe to thoroughly search many areas already burnt.
- by Michael Koziol and Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Elon Musk blames female firefighters of colour for LA fires
As Los Angeles burns, the man with the ear of the new president is helping spread false claims and racist ideas for political outrage.
- by Pranshu Verma, Will Oremus and Trisha Thadani
‘It was just dust’: Shocked families return to find their charred homes
Now four days since the flames erupted in and around Los Angeles, many residents have returned to their still smouldering neighbourhoods.
- by Manuel Valdes, Julie Watson, John Seewer and Heather Hollingsworth
Rottnest wreckage retrieved as pilot’s girlfriend pays tribute to ‘seaplane tragic’
Investigators retrieved the Cessna from the water off Thomson Bay on Thursday morning, beginning the process of working out how it crashed, killing three people on board.
- by Rebecca Peppiatt and Jesinta Burton
‘She was crying uncontrollably’: What not to do when consoling someone who’s grieving
Josephine lost her daughter to suicide. Ashton’s mother was murdered. Here’s what they wish people would never say to those who are grieving.
- by Cassandra Morgan
Priest investigated for manslaughter over death of newborn left on church doorstep
The newborn, believed to be a month old, was found dead on January 2 inside the church’s “thermal cradle”, a device set up for unwanted babies to be left anonymously.
- by Josephine McKenna
Updated
Air travel
‘Insufficient speed’: Aviation expert weighs in on Rottnest seaplane tragedy
Crowds of summer holidaymakers on Rottnest witnessed the crash on Tuesday afternoon. A leading expert has reviewed the footage and given his opinion on what might have gone wrong.
- by Rebecca Peppiatt
Pilot who died in Rottnest Island seaplane tragedy identified
James Wong, 34, died when the Cessna 208 he was piloting crashed moments after take-off on Tuesday afternoon.
- by Rebecca Peppiatt
Seaplane company ‘heartbroken’ as tragedy hits a second time
As the details of Tuesday’s Rottnest Island tragedy unfolds, memories of the helicopter crash that killed seaplane company co-founder Troy Thomas have resurfaced.
- by Claire Ottaviano
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/tragedy-63c