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SpaceX's Starship failed launch: Florida airports halt flights

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SpaceX's Starship failed launch: Florida airports halt flights


US aviation authorities temporarily halted flights at several Florida airports over concerns about debris from SpaceX’s Starship, which spun out of control shortly after launch.

A ground stop was placed on airports in Orlando and Miami after the failed launch over the Atlantic Ocean. It has since been lifted. No injuries or damage have been reported.

SpaceX confirmed the un-crewed ship had suffered “a rapid unscheduled disassembly” during its ascent into space, and lost contact with the ground.

A statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the flights in and out of airports would be delayed due to a “space launch incident”. This was the eighth mission to test the rocket, and its second consecutive failure.

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The 123m (403ft) spaceship was meant to re-enter Earth’s orbit over the Indian Ocean after a one-hour flight.

Its Super Heavy booster, which helps it leave the ground, did manage successfully to return to the launchpad.

SpaceX, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, said teams immediately started co-ordinating with safety officials for “pre-planned contingency responses”.

The statement added that SpaceX would review data “to better understand root cause” of the accident.

“As always, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship’s reliability.”‘

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Musk has yet to comment on Thursday’s explosion.

The incident follows a test in January, which saw a Starship rocket fail minutes after launching from SpaceX’s Texas facility.

The FAA also briefly closed airports at the time, due to concerns about falling debris.

After January’s incident, the FAA grounded Starship launches and noted the failed effort led to property damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.

“Unfortunately this happened last time too, so we have some practice at this now,” SpaceX flight commentator Dan Huot told reporters at the launch site on Thursday.

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Footage posted on X purported to show flaming rocket debris falling over the Caribbean Sea. In the Bahamas, people posted that they were seeking shelter in order to take cover from debris.

Starship is the biggest, most powerful rocket ever built, and is key to Musk’s ambitions for colonising Mars.

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship – is intended to be fully reusable, the company says.

Nasa hopes to use a modified version of the spaceship as a human lunar lander for its Artemis missions to return to the Moon.

In the more distant future, Musk wants Starship to make long-haul trips to Mars and back – about a nine-month trip each way.

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Florida

Rainy stretch continues in South Florida

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Rainy stretch continues in South Florida


South Florida is experiencing a prolonged stretch of wet weather as deep tropical moisture combines with a stalled frontal boundary across the region.

The result has been frequent showers, thunderstorms, periods of heavy rainfall, and localized flooding concerns from Broward to Miami-Dade and throughout the Keys.

The atmosphere is loaded with moisture, allowing storms to produce intense downpours in a short amount of time.

Some neighborhoods have already seen several inches of rain, with additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected through the end of the week.

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Flood-prone streets and poor drainage areas remain especially vulnerable during the heaviest rainfall.

While the rain is helping ease drought conditions, it is also increasing the risk of flash flooding and travel delays.

South Florida is two weeks into its rainy season, when abundant heat and humidity combine to generate daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms.

Heavy rainfall, frequent lightning, and gusty winds are common features of this time of year.

The good news? Drier air will gradually filter into parts of the region heading into the weekend, allowing rain chances to slightly decrease. Until then, keep the umbrella handy and be prepared for sudden tropical downpours.

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Man accused of kidnapping woman at Wawa in Central Florida

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Man accused of kidnapping woman at Wawa in Central Florida


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A man is in custody after deputies said he tried to kidnap a woman at a Wawa near Winter park. Per investigators, Matthew Seaberg approached the victim from behind, picked her up by the waist, and threw her into his truck.



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Jury selection continues in fatal boat crash trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino

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Jury selection continues in fatal boat crash trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino


MIAMI — A new group of prospective jurors was questioned Tuesday in the trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino, who is charged in connection with a 2022 boat crash that killed a teenager in Miami-Dade County.

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During jury selection in a Miami-Dade courtroom, Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez asked potential jurors what they already knew about the case and whether they had recently seen or heard anything about it.

Several prospective jurors said they knew only basic details, including that a fatal boating crash occurred and that a teenage girl died. Others said they recalled media reports that alcohol may have been involved.

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As questioning continued, some prospective jurors disclosed connections to schools and communities tied to the case.

Passengers aboard Pino’s boat included his wife, his teenage daughter and 11 of her friends, many of whom attended private schools in Miami-Dade County.

One prospective juror said they graduated from a local private school around the time of the crash and were familiar with some of the students involved.

Another said references to schools and witnesses brought back memories of seeing posts and articles about the incident shared on social media.

A third said their child participates in youth sports with students from schools connected to the case.

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Investigators said the boat struck a channel marker while returning from an outing on Biscayne Bay. Seventeen-year-old Lourdes Academy student Lucy Fernandez drowned after the crash.

Tinkler Mendez also addressed concerns that a prospective juror had been viewing a news report about the case on a cellphone while waiting outside the courtroom.

Another prospective juror reported hearing the report but said it was not loud enough for everyone in the area to hear.

Tinkler Mendez reminded prospective jurors to avoid news coverage and social media discussions related to the case as jury selection continues.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.





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