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Crowds, water guns and protests: could ‘slow tourism’ be the answer to an overtourism backlash?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-errmann-1360032">Amy Errmann</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>With overtourism in the spotlight as the travel industry continues to rebound after the pandemic, popular destinations around the world are feeling the strain.</p> <p>Bali is overwhelmed by <a href="https://thebalisun.com/concerns-increasing-about-impact-of-trash-and-traffic-on-bali-tourists/">waste and traffic</a>, Australia’s sacred sites have suffered <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50151344">environmental damage</a>, New York is facing rising rents <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/23/new-york-airbnb-crackdown-rules-housing">due to short-term rentals</a>, and Singapore’s scenic spots are becoming <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/overtourism-locals-tourists-sustainable-tourism-stb-focus-4517681">clogged with crowds</a>.</p> <p>Frustrated locals are pushing back – from <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/barcelona-locals-spray-tourists-with-water-guns-during-protest-over-housing-costs/FUFHXKO5X5F5NNPSU6ELNVGSIA/">spraying water at tourists </a>in Barcelona to <a href="https://adventure.com/venice-locals-squatting-against-overtourism-photography/">organising protests in Venice</a>. As the northern hemisphere high season ends, Aotearoa New Zealand is preparing for an influx of visitors ahead of its summer tourism season.</p> <p>And much like those other <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/08/world/europe/greece-cruise-ships-tourists-islands.html">tourist hotspots</a>, the government is looking at how to manage the negative effects of tourism on local communities and the environment. This includes tripling the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/04/new-zealand-to-nearly-triple-tourist-tax-for-international-visitors">international tourist tax</a> from NZ$35 to $100.</p> <p>The aim of the increase is to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/11/new-zealand-tourism-minister-makes-pitch-to-the-rich-as-he-spurns-10-a-day-travellers">attract tourists</a> who are more mindful of their impact and willing to contribute to its mitigation, while also <a href="https://theconversation.com/welcome-to-nz-now-pay-up-the-risks-and-rewards-of-raising-the-foreign-tourist-tax-232138">reducing visitor numbers</a> to protect the country’s unique landscapes and cultures.</p> <p>But are there other ways the tourism industry can evolve to ensure benefits for both travellers and the communities they are visiting? So called “slow travel” could be the answer.</p> <h2>Hunting the perfect photo</h2> <p>Overtourism isn’t just about too many people in one place. It’s also about <em>how</em> people travel.</p> <p><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/social-media-tourism-effect-scn-wellness/index.html">Instagram-famous</a> landmarks draw massive crowds, <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/406195/visitors-ignore-ban-continue-to-visit-mermaid-pools-in-northland-hapu">disrupting local life</a> and sometimes even <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/vermot-town-famous-for-fall-foliage-bans-instagram-tourists-from-streets/BHKEYKKUTNHORFT6QCZ5TW333A/#google_vignette">leading to closures</a>.</p> <p>Travellers often pack their itineraries with as many sights as possible, racing from one place to another in a frenzy to capture the perfect photo. This hurried approach not only creates <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-19/barcelona-bhutan-places-that-limit-tourist-numbers">congestion</a> but also limits <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-02859-z">meaningful engagement with the destination</a>.</p> <p>And it’s not just a numbers game. The way tourists behave also plays a critical role.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018690535/tropical-trash-the-impact-of-holidaying-in-the-pacific">2019 report</a> from the United Nations raised concerns about trash from tourists in developing small island states, including the Pacific Islands. According to the report, a tourist visiting these communities produced about 7kg of waste a day, compared to about 2.5kg produced by a local.</p> <p>The issue is not necessarily about travelling less, but about <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211973623000284">travelling more responsibly</a>. The tourism industry needs to be encouraging travel habits that allow both visitors and locals to enjoy tourism without compromising the integrity of the destination.</p> <h2>The rise of slow travel</h2> <p>Mindfulness – being fully present in the moment – has gained popularity since the 1970s. The concept has influenced a number of sectors, including <a href="https://slowfoodauckland.co.nz/">slow food</a>, <a href="https://ourwayoflife.co.nz/slow-fashion-101-what-to-buy-and-what-to-avoid-to-reduce-your-clothing-footprint/">slow fashion</a>, and now <a href="https://www.lakewanaka.co.nz/wanaka-stories/how-to-be-a-slow-mindful-traveler-in-wanaka/">slow travel</a>.</p> <p>It’s about <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-63569-4_44#:%7E:text=Slow%20travel%2C%20mindful%20travel%2C%20or,spiritual%20well%2Dbeing%20of%20people">experiencing destinations</a> at a relaxed pace, focusing on deeper connections with local cultures and sustainability. This often means <a href="https://guestnewzealand.com/about-us/eco-travels-new-zealand/">staying longer in fewer places</a> and choosing eco-friendly transport.</p> <p>Understanding slow travel and mindfulness is important because they create <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogersands/2024/06/08/the-beauty-of-slow-travel/">richer, more memorable experiences</a>. Fast, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517724000487">hectic travel</a> often leaves little positive impact. Slow immersive travel, on the other hand, fosters lasting memories and reduces overtourism, pollution and cultural damage.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913367.2024.2325144">Research</a> shows when we consciously immerse ourselves in our surroundings we can have more meaningful experiences. Surprisingly, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517724000487">even luxury travel</a> – often dismissed as wasteful – can encourage respect and mindfulness for those who invest financially and mentally in their journey, unlike cheaper, mainstream tourism.</p> <p>Activities such as “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666957921000197">forest bathing</a>”, <a href="https://www.visitutah.com/articles/mindful-hiking">hiking</a> or engaging with <a href="https://www.outofyourcomfortzone.net/a-guide-to-slow-travel-immersing-yourself-in-local-cultures/">local cultures</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723984/">boost wellbeing and meaning</a>, going beyond just “taking a photo for likes”.</p> <p>This mindful approach can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738321001419">change our behaviour on a personal level</a>. By focusing attention on fewer experiences, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913367.2024.2325144">travellers can heighten</a> their sense of awe and appreciation, making the travel more memorable.</p> <p>This idea is evident in “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002216786200200102?casa_token=PrIQTkCMjx0AAAAA:wtswfg0cuEuQec0zVg-Mbf9MuXYoqhQkWbaQCGdjxWkYUpVOwBu8Op5jC6V4nOghnow3xpwN3fDn">peak experiences</a>”. Disney, for example, creates <a href="https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/docam/vol9/iss2/6/">emotionally-charged moments</a> that stick in visitors’ minds. Other experiences, such as “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14614448211072808">digital detoxes</a>” or <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-abstract/45/6/1142/4999270">pilgrimages</a> can leave a contemplative impression.</p> <p>By concentrating on a single aspect of a visit, it <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738320300797?casa_token=Np4PXLk5RqsAAAAA:Q3440A-lsf-XTAWuboPPbIcnvBAhk8nnIoWyF-gynHkSPmyPaykzfpBhTLbFDBHZEX0bbtZJgQ">becomes special and memorable</a>. Even in busy places like Disneyland, focusing on one unique element can make the experience feel slower and more meaningful.</p> <h2>The sustainability of tourism</h2> <p>In the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517724000487">Faroe Islands</a>, slow travel helps protect local traditions and landscapes by encouraging thoughtful visitor behaviour, such as using local guides to minimise environmental impact.</p> <p>New Zealand can leverage its natural beauty to offer similar immersive experiences. <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/travel-well-what-is-mindful-hiking-walking-for-wellbeing-boost/67MYS6ZSNXC7ZH6OTZ2DLBGFL4/">Tramping</a> (hiking), for example, can promote a mindful connection with the environment.</p> <p>But even here, there needs to be a focus on balancing tourism with preservation. Popular spots, such as the Department of Conservation huts and the Te Araroa Trail, are <a href="https://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/te-araroa-trail-shows-pressure/">already becoming crowded</a>. It is essential to educate visitors on <a href="https://www.mpi.govt.nz/outdoor-activities/tramping-tips-to-prevent-spreading-pests-and-diseases/biosecurity-considerations-walking-and-tramping/">responsible practices</a> – such as cleaning equipment – to ensure they understand their <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/heritage-and-visitor-strategy#:%7E:text=The%20natural%2C%20cultural%20and%20historic,wellbeing%2C%20enabling%20communities%20to%20thrive.">role in protecting nature</a>.</p> <p>Travel that fosters a deeper appreciation for local cultures and environments benefits both visitors and the destinations they explore. The challenge is finding the right balance – encouraging meaningful travel experiences while still ensuring accessibility for all.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/238316/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-errmann-1360032">Amy Errmann</a>, Senior Lecturer, Marketing &amp; International Business, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/crowds-water-guns-and-protests-could-slow-tourism-be-the-answer-to-an-overtourism-backlash-238316">original article</a>.</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"You guys can't touch me": Djokovic slams Wimbledon crowd

<p>Novak Djokovic has launched into a staggering tirade after emerging from the Wimbledon courts victorious, after claiming the crowd was being "disrespectful" by booing him. </p> <p>The Serbian tennis champ accused the audience after his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Danish player Holger Rune, calling out the behaviour during his winning speech. </p> <p>“To all the fans that have had respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it,” he said.</p> <p>“And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player, in this case me, have a goooood night."</p> <p>“Goooood night, goooood night, have a good night,” he continued.</p> <p>The on-court interviewer suggested that the crowd was chanting “Rooooon” and was not in fact booing, but Djokovic was determined. </p> <p>“I’m hoping they were just commenting on Rune and they weren’t disrespecting you,” the courtside interviewer said, as Djokovic responded, “They were, they were, they were, they were.”</p> <p>“I am not accepting it. No, no, no. I know they were cheering for Rune but that’s an excuse to also boo."</p> <p>“Listen, I have been on the tour for more than 20 years."</p> <p>“I know all the tricks. I focus on the respectful people that pay for the ticket, and love tennis and appreciate the players."</p> <p>“I have played in much more hostile environments, trust me ... you guys can’t touch me.”</p> <p>He then headed for the Centre Court exit to initial applause before further chants of "<em>Ruuuuuuune"</em> followed.</p> <p><em>Image credits: ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Crowd cheers as fan booted from US Open after vile Nazi slur

<p>During a US Open tennis match held early on Tuesday morning, a spectator found themselves ejected from the event following an incident involving German tennis player Alexander Zverev.</p> <p>The disruption arose when Zverev, seeded number 12, was locked in a fierce fourth-set battle against Italy's Jannik Sinner, seeded number six.</p> <p>At a critical juncture in the match, just as he was about to serve, Zverev approached chair umpire James Keothavong and pointed out a fan situated right behind the umpire's chair.</p> <p>Zverev raised the issue, stating, "He [the fan] just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is..."</p> <p>Zverev then expressed his strong disapproval, exclaiming, "It's unacceptable, this is unbelievable."</p> <p>In response to Zverev's concerns, Keothavong scanned the crowd and repeatedly asked, "Who said that? Who said that?" amid raucous boos from the audience.</p> <p>The umpire swiftly made a decision, asserting, "We're going to get him out," much to the relief of those watching in Arthur Ashe Stadium.</p> <p>Keothavong also took a moment to remind the crowd to maintain respect for both players. Shortly after, during a changeover, spectators seated near the offending fan identified him, and security promptly removed him from the venue. The crowd responded with cheers as the fan was escorted up the stadium stairs.</p> <p>A US Tennis Association spokesperson, Chris Widmaier, confirmed the incident, stating, "A disparaging remark was directed toward Alexander Zverev. The fan was identified and escorted from the stadium."</p> <p>Despite the disruption, Zverev went on to triumph over Sinner in a gruelling five-set match and secured his spot in the quarterfinals, where he would face the defending US Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz.</p> <p>This epic match, which Zverev won with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, endured for an impressive four hours and 41 minutes, making it the lengthiest match of the tournament up to that point. The contest concluded at 1:40 am local time in New York.</p> <p>Reflecting on the incident in the post-match press conference, Zverev revealed that while he had encountered fans making derogatory comments before, this was the first time he had experienced an incident involving Hitler.</p> <p>He shared: "He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day. It was ‘Deutschland über alles’ and it was a bit too much.</p> <p>"I think he was getting involved in the match for a long time, though. I don’t mind it, I love when fans are loud, I love when fans are emotional. But I think me being German and not really proud of that history, it’s not really a great thing to do and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it. So if I just don’t react, I think it’s bad from my side.”</p> <p>Despite the disturbance, Zverev remained composed and noted, “It’s his loss, to be honest, to not witness the final two sets of that match.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Elton John's final message to crowd at last concert ever

<p dir="ltr">Elton John has officially retired from touring.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old award-winning musician took to the stage for the last time ever in Stockholm, Sweden, <a href="https://www.eltonjohn.com/tours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to his website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Elton had reportedly ended his touring days with <em>Your Song</em> and <em>Goodbye Yellow Brick Road</em>, before sharing a heartfelt message to his fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I've had the most wonderful career, beyond belief. 52 years of pure joy playing music, how lucky am I to play music? But I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for you," the music legend told his fans as he closed what he claimed to be his final show.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You bought the singles, albums and CDs and more importantly you bought the tickets to the shows and you know how I love to play live."</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's been my lifeblood to play for you guys and you've been absolutely magnificent – thank you," he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I will never forget you guys. I've played so many concerts, how could I forget? You're in my head, and my heart and my soul and I thank you so much."</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer also took to Instagram prior to his final show to share the announcement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What a journey this tour has been and now we find ourselves at the end of it. Tonight is the final night,” he wrote in the caption.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CucC7nWAQ8K/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CucC7nWAQ8K/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">He posted a clip of a 2018 interview he did with CNN, when he first announced that he was going to retire from touring.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's the last time that I will be touring and traveling the world," John said in the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tour, which had over 300 shows, kicked off in 2018 and was meant to end in 2021 but was postponed due to Covid, and has since been attended by over 6 million fans across the world.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Music

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"Get out of the water!" Huge shark spotted at crowded beach

<p dir="ltr">Dramatic footage has revealed the moment a shark was spotted swimming in shallow waters at a crowded beach in Florida.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the video filmed at Navarre beach on Monday, a sizeable fin can be spotted zipping past swimmers as panicked onlookers screamed for them to get out.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Get out of the water!" one person screamed, as stunned swimmers ran for their lives.</p> <p dir="ltr">However there was an eerie lack of urgency for a few others who took their time exiting the waters, with no worries whatsoever to the frustration of a bystander who commented: "They're still out there."</p> <p dir="ltr">Cristy Cox, who filmed the footage, told the <em>Pensacola News Journal</em> that the shark was simply chasing a fish, but warned people to be aware of their surroundings.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It all happened so fast! A dolphin was actually side by side with the shark at first and then just disappeared,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The shark was just trying to feed as they are expected and just passed by swimmers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone was stunned as it moved down the beach chasing the school of fish. We all just have to remember this is natural and we are in their home, so stay alert!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Beach Safety Director Austin Turnbill confirmed to the publication that a shark had been spotted at the beach, but for people to not be alarmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s sharks in the Gulf, everywhere. We see sharks almost every day and there’s nothing to be alarmed of for 99.9% of the time,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Cristy Cox Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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5 tips on avoiding crowds while travelling

<p>Don’t let the frustration of dealing with pushy travellers ruin your trip.</p> <p><strong>1. Book tickets in advance </strong></p> <p>Purchase tickets online before you leave home and skip the crowds and endless lines at your destination. Smart travellers can avoid the queue when visiting abroad – the London Eye, Britain’s Houses of Parliament, Italy’s Vatican Museums, and the Louvre in Paris all help you keep your cool with online ticket sales.</p> <p><strong>2. Talk to people </strong></p> <p>Your hotel’s concierge or the assistant at the tourist office know their city’s attractions inside and out. Have a chat and get their take on the best times to visit popular sites.</p> <p><strong>3. Sign up for special tours</strong></p> <p>Often special organisations get after-hours or behind-the-scenes access to famous places. You’ll get a guided tour and beat the rush. A note of caution – these tours can be costly, but if large crowds routinely ruin your experience, splashing a little extra cash will save your sanity.</p> <p><strong>4. Visit during the week </strong></p> <p>For shorter lines, fewer people, and better opportunities to interact and enjoy the attraction, stop by during the week. In many cases, you’ll have the place to yourself. Take it one step further, and head to museums, galleries or tourism hot spots after 2pm when visiting school groups will have returned to class.</p> <p><strong>5. Watch the weather </strong></p> <p>Spooked travellers often cancel their plans when there are reports of a storm on the approach. While some travel advisories are the real deal, sometimes they’re not as bad as they sound. By keeping an eye on weather broadcasts, brave souls can often score great last-minute deals or empty attractions.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article first appeared in <strong><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/tips/tips-on-avoiding-crowds">Reader’s Digest</a></strong>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&utm_campaign=RDSUB&utm_medium=display&keycode=WRA85S"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>offer.</strong></span></a></em></p>

Travel Tips

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“A wall of people”: Aussie among 153 killed in Halloween stampede

<p dir="ltr">A young Australian is among 153 people who died in a Halloween crowd crush in South Korea.</p> <p dir="ltr">The news was confirmed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on Sunday, as “urgent inquiries” continue to help other affected Australians.</p> <p dir="ltr">At least one other dual citizen is in a stable condition in intensive care, as reports emerge that several other Aussies were injured after thousands of people crowded into a narrow street in Seoul to celebrate Halloween on Saturday night.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Australian embassy in Seoul has been notified of the death of an Australian at the tragic event in Seoul,” DFAT said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Consular officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are providing consular assistance to the individual’s family in Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Consular officers are also assisting a number of other Australians who were present at the event.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Australian government sends its condolences to the family and others affected by this tragic incident. We ask for the family's privacy to be respected during this difficult time.”<br />Nathan Taverniti, who survived the incident, spoke to Yonhap News Agency, identifying himself as a friend of the victim, a 23-year-old woman, and later spoke about the lack of response from authorities on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just can’t believe it. I was in the front of where it happened,” he said while wiping away tears outside Soonchunhyang University Hospital where some of the victims’ bodies were located.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All I could see was a wall of people.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Taverniti said it was “impossible” to save his friend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People need to know how bad it was and how little help there was,” he said, adding that he spent Sunday desperately searching for her body.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t know where she is,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t find any info … the consulate doesn’t know where she is.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In his TikTok video, Mr Taverniti condemned South Korean authorities for their slow response time, claiming it took half an hour for police to arrive and even longer for other emergency services.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was there when she said she couldn’t breathe,” he said through tears.<br />“There was no stampede. It was a slow and agonising crush.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This crush was not caused by drunk people. It was a lack of planning (from the) police force and emergency services, and nobody was willing to help.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I watched as people sang and filmed and laughed while my friends were dying, along with many other people.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Nobody was doing anything to make the crowd stop.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to officials, dozens of attendees went into cardiac arrest following the fatal crush of a 100-000 strong crowd at around 10.22 pm, with hundreds believed to be injured.</p> <p dir="ltr">Olivia Jacovic, an Aussie living in Seoul, told Channel Nine about how she managed to escape the crush, describing the crowd as “shoulder-to-shoulder”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was really hard, I had bruises on my arms from trying to manoeuvre out but we got on the sidelines luckily and we were standing up on this brick wall and we could see above,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was just shoulder-to-shoulder, people couldn’t breathe the shorter people were trying to look up in the air to get some air.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just wanted to get out of there... I don’t care that my clothes were getting ripped.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to local emergency responders, many of the victims were women in their teens or early twenties.</p> <p dir="ltr">Officials added that the incident was believed to have occurred after a large crowd began pushing forward in a narrow alley upon hearing that a celebrity was nearby.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-16cea9fb-7fff-ec20-c6b8-882c6dcecfe7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Along with 1700 emergency workers, 15 ‘disaster’ medical teams were also deployed to help in the aftermath, but emergency services were still overwhelmed by the sheer number of victims.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Horror crash sees cyclist launch into crowd

<p>The opening session of the track cycling event at the Commonwealth Games has been cancelled after a horrific crash left several athletes and spectators injured. </p> <p>A cyclist and his bike were catapulted over the barrier and into the crowd in an incident that brought down several riders in a sickening scene during the men’s 15km scratch race qualifying at the Lee Valley Velodrome.</p> <p>Medical staff rushed to the area where they were seen tending to British cyclist Matt Walls for more than 40 minutes before he was taken to hospital. </p> <p>England’s Commonwealth Games team then provided a positive update on Matt's condition later in the day. </p> <p>“Matt is alert and talking (as he has been throughout) and is being given medical attention in hospital,” the team statement read.</p> <p>The 24-year-old was trying to avoid riders who had fallen in a crash lower down the banking but as he rode up, he clipped another wheel and went over the top into the crowd.</p> <p>Witnesses said that, because of the gradient of the banking, spectators in the front row had been unsighted for the crash. </p> <p>One man received treatment for cuts to his arm while a young girl also received medical attention.</p> <p>Isle of Man rider Matt Bostock was also taken away from the scene on a stretcher. </p> <p>A Birmingham 2022 spokesperson said three riders and two spectators were treated by the on-site medical team. </p> <p>All three riders were taken to hospital, while the spectators were tended to at the scene. </p> <p>The session was abandoned moments later with one more event still scheduled. </p> <p>England’s Commonwealth Games Team released a preliminary statement sending its best wishes to all those involved.</p> <p>“Following a crash in the cycling men’s scratch race, Matt Walls has been taken to hospital for precautionary checks,” the statement read.</p> <p>“We send our best wishes to the riders and spectators involved in the incident, and will provide a further update when we can.”</p> <p>England’s racing team also tweeted, “Thoughts are with all the riders involved in the crash in the velodrome.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Aussie airports brace for record crowds over Easter

<p dir="ltr">Aussie travellers are facing ongoing mayhem across the country as airports feel the pressure of the Easter long weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney Airport is at the epicentre of the chaos, with travellers in the airport’s domestic terminals experiencing <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/give-us-patience-chaos-continues-at-sydney-airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lengthy queues</a> and hours of waiting to check-in and get through security. </p> <p dir="ltr">With an already stretched staffing system and 82,000 people expected to go through the domestic terminal gates on Thursday - the busiest the airport’s been since 80,000 people filed through on March 6, 2020 - it’s unlikely that the pressure will ease anytime soon.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-72648aaa-7fff-12e4-a353-d8b7b6a6fc84"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">An additional 79,000 people are predicted to travel through the terminals on Good Friday, with numbers dropping to around 60,000 on Saturday and Sunday before picking up again.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Melbourne airport 5:45am.. big queues for bag drops but flights being called out to make sure people aren’t missing them. With traffic into airport too the advice is definitely still to get here early though! <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstMelb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirstMelb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/melbourneairport?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#melbourneairport</a> <a href="https://t.co/R0M8HcdoO2">pic.twitter.com/R0M8HcdoO2</a></p> <p>— Caty Price (@caty_price) <a href="https://twitter.com/caty_price/status/1513968147052736512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">But the chaos hasn’t been limited to Sydney, after Melbourne and Adelaide airports saw similar situations unfolding on Thursday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">Melbourne is also expecting crowds over the Easter break, with 380,000 people set to walk through the airport over the entire long weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brisbane hasn’t been spared either, with foot traffic of 56,000 predicted for Thursday.</p> <p dir="ltr">In response, Australians have been advised to arrive at least two hours before their domestic flight - or three hours for international flights - and expect delays.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lyall Stranby, the chief executive of Melbourne Airport, told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/sydney-airport-chaos-to-continue-with-more-than-80000-people-expected-on-thursday/news-story/d7b9b0d277cd44cf7240de7ca36dcc5d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em> impacts of the widespread redundancies among airline and airport staff during the pandemic are still being felt despite efforts to rapidly expand the workforce.</p> <p dir="ltr">“COVID-19 decimated airlines and airports and resulted in thousands of highly-skilled workers being stood down or made redundant,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7e015a95-7fff-460f-1493-cd76edce2e9e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The airlines and their suppliers are now scaling up their workforce but given the safety-critical nature of the jobs they do; recruitment and retraining can take time.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">As someone who works at Sydney Airport, please be kind to us, we are trying to get you to where you need/want to be. Short staffed due to being dead quiet for like 1.5 years and then suddenly going full speed once the borders opened.</p> <p>We get it, it’s hard for us too</p> <p>— louis (@louis20016) <a href="https://twitter.com/louis20016/status/1512282830478356482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Travellers in Melbourne have also faced lengthy wait times for their luggage, with some waiting up to an hour to pick up their bags.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert said this period has been challenging for everyone, including passengers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve got staff shortages, we’ve been rebuilding the business from the ground up,” Mr Culbert told 2GB’s Chris Smith on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You go back to November last year, and we were all in lockdown, we were operating at one percent of normal capacity and we all started recruiting for Easter back in December last year, right when we got a sense of the borders were going to open but we just haven’t been able to get enough staff.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then you add on top of that the Covid issues, on any given day up to 20 percent of staff can’t come to work due to Covid. So we’re running at 60 percent of ordinary staff capacity.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As staff face the crowds, senior staff at Sydney Airport have been told to leave their offices to help manage queues, while retail and IT staff have been redeployed onto the security floor, as reported by <em>news.com.au</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">With airport service staff, including security workers, now recognised as critical workers in NSW and Victoria, they are exempt from isolating for seven days if they are close contacts and have no COVID-19 symptoms.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-115b4b9c-7fff-6be5-306d-6fc435f40145"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @cajlamb (Twitter)</em></p>

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One side-splitting moment made crowd lose it at Shane Warne’s memorial

<p dir="ltr">Amid feelings of joy and teary despair, there was one moment at Shane Warne’s memorial service that saw the crowd erupt with laughter, per <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/moment-that-made-the-crowd-lose-it-at-shane-warnes-memorial/news-story/ae03125ea937033e231e46399634d7c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">A panel of Warnie’s good friends - including former St Kilda player Aaron Hamill - were asked about his fashion choices, including the Peaky Blinders inspired hats he had been wearing in recent years.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hamill explained how the late cricketer’s love of old school hats led to him making an unusual request.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[Shane] said, ‘I’ve got this great idea’, as he always did,” Hamill recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">Warne decided to email the producers of Peaky Blinders, which follows a family of gangsters in 1900s England, to say that he was a keen fan of the show and ask if he could be on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So he did that and he rang me back and said, ‘I got the email back’,” Hamill continued. “I said, ‘Please, read it out to me’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“‘Dear Shane, thanks very much. We love your enthusiasm, but unfortunately porcelain veneers weren’t around in Birmingham in 1931. But we love your support. Thank you very much.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">With many fans likely picturing Warne’s great big smile in their minds, they burst out laughing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But that’s what he was like,” Hamill said. “He was ambitious. He was driven. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The panel, hosted by Andy Lee, attracted the most laughs the whole night, which saw more than 55,000 gather at the MCG while a billion people watched it from around the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He would be gobsmacked by this,” footy great Sam Newman said of the memorial while he appeared on the panel alongside cricketer Dimitri Mascarenhas, and comedian and actor Glenn Robbins.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll tell you what, I’m finding it hard to get over, the United Nations are a part of this.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought, ‘that is extraordinary. He’s actually infiltrated the United Nations and they are here. That is staggering.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">A United Nations representative spoke earlier in the service of Warne’s involvement with a wildlife conservation initiative called The Lion’s Share. They also announced a new “Shane Warne conservation grant” to “memorialise his service and catalyse more action”.</p> <p dir="ltr">As much as there were laughs during the night, there were also plenty of tears and spine-tingling moments.</p> <p dir="ltr">MC Eddie McGuire read out a letter written by Warne’s brother Jason 30 years ago, in which he predicted the legacy Warne would leave behind.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now is the time to put everything, and I mean everything, into it and make it work for you,” the letter said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, come on, make some more sacrifices and give people the opportunity in 20 years’ time to say ‘Remember Shane Warne. We’ll never get another leggie like him. He was the best spinner Australia ever had’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Warne’s three children - Summer, Jackson and Brooke - also spoke about their love for their dad and how much they missed him, and fans could be seen wiping away tears.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has been exactly 26 days since you went to heaven and I miss you more than anything in the whole world,” Summer said, as the first of the three to speak to the crowd.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that you won’t be able to walk me down the aisle on my special day. You’re not going to meet your grandchildren that you’re going to have someday, but instead you will be someone I will tell my kids about and how much of an amazing father you were to me. How good of a grandfather you would have made and how they would have loved and adored you just like I do.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1558e40b-7fff-61aa-8645-7862786f29e5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The tears were later replaced by cheers as the siblings unveiled the Shane Warne Stand for the first time.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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"Low IQ": Medvedev beats Kyrgios then takes a swipe at unruly crowd

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Russian world number two Daniil Medvedev had a go at tennis fans after his four-set defeat of Australian star Nick Kyrgios.</p> <p>Medvedev prevailed 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in front of a capacity crowd on Rod Laver Arena.</p> <p>Medvedev did his best to block out the crowd's loud antics during the match, even when they were whipped into a frenzy by Kyrgios. However, Medvedev's poise broke post-match in interviews, taking issue with some people in the crowd for booing or cheering between serves when two-times Australian Open champion turned tennis presenter Jim Courier asked him how he kept his emotions in check.</p> <p>"Sorry, I can't hear you," Medvedev said. "Show some respect for Jim Courier, he won here. Let him speak, please, if you respect somebody, at least respect Jim Courier."</p> <p>Medvedev then further admonished the Melbourne Park crowd in an interview with Eurosport.</p> <p>"Break point, second serve and people are cheering like you already made a double fault. That's just disappointing," he said.</p> <p>"It's not everybody who is doing it but those who are doing it probably have a low IQ.</p> <p>"It's not good for the game I think to do it, because probably people don't know, but when you're getting ready for the second serve, it's a tough moment."<br />Despite admitting the need for the crowd to observe etiquette at times, Kyrgios said he thought rowdy crowds were good for the evolution of the sport.</p> <p>"I thought the atmosphere was awesome," Kyrgios said.</p> <p>"You've got, like, you know, the most entertaining player playing in his home slam on Rod Laver, you'd expect the crowd to be like that.<br />Karl Stefanovic appeared to take issue with the Russian tennis star's comments, as he blasted Medvedev on the<span> </span><em>Today Show</em><span> </span>on Friday morning.</p> <p>“Daniil Medvedev, my accountant has a better personality,” Karl said.</p> <p>“Daniil Medvedev, he makes Ivan Lendl look like Beyonce. Daniil Medvedev,<span> </span><em>Terminator 4</em><span> </span>had more facial expressions.”</p> <p>He added: “Insulting the fans like that – they weren’t actually booing him. He misunderstood what was happening.”</p>

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Crowd goes nuts as man learns he's a dad on the big screen

<p><em>Image: Youtube</em></p> <p>A new dad-to-be has been given the surprise of his life while attending a basketball game – and as far as pregnancy announcements go – this is up there with one of the best we've seen.</p> <p>The Orlando Magic fan was happily watching the big game with his partner when the ‘kiss cam’ panned across to them during a break.</p> <p>The man and his partner looked suitably delighted at the attention – but something about the woman's behaviour was not quite right. Almost as though she knew something ELSE was about to happen.</p> <p>Sure enough, as the camera lingered on the couple, a special message appeared along the bottom of the screen: ‘Congrats James! You are you going to be a dad’.</p> <p>At first James did not notice the message – but slowly it became apparent that the rest of the crowd certainly had, as the cheering swelled to a giant crescendo.</p> <p>Then the magic moment arrived: the dad-to-be finally looked a little closer at the big screen, took a second or two to comprehend what he was reading, and was then completely overcome with shock, surprise and pure joy. His reaction will be preserved forever for the young family, and it really was a tremendous one.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fNWuld3hwa8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Sadly, James’ team lost the game – going down to the Charlotte Hornets 106-99. But there's no question that he went home a happy man regardless, with a story he will be able to share for many years to come.</p>

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What caused the deadly scenes at Astroworld

<p><em><strong>Warning: This story contains graphic content which may distress some readers. </strong></em></p> <p><strong>What is Astroworld?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Astroworld is an annual festival held by 30-year-old rapper Travis Scott in his native Houston, Texas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The festival, named after his critically acclaimed album, has been running for three years after being founded in 2018 (there was no 2020 show due to the pandemic).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The festival sees young rap fans from all over the country come to enjoy their favourite artists, but the 2021 event was vastly different to the years prior. </span></p> <p><strong>What happened?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the first night of the festival on Friday night in Houston, the festival began with over an estimated 50,000 people in attendance. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the course of the evening as Travis Scott took to the stage as the final performer of the night, the crowd began to be crushed by each other. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans were squeezed in so tightly between other festival-goers and a series of barricades that they could not breathe or move their arms. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As fans started to jump around and dance to the music, people began to fall to the ground and become trapped under a sea of bodies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans became compressed towards the front of the stage, as people began to pass out from a lack of oxygen, as paramedics were unable to get to everyone who needed help due to the overwhelming capacity of the crowd.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Houston police have reported that at least 8 people have died in the mass casualty event, and hundreds more people were gravely injured. </span></p> <p><strong>How did this happen?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Throughout the beginning of the festival, people began posting photos and videos to social media of people storming the barricades and by-passing security to make it into the event. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans recounted their time trying to make it into the venue, saying they noticed many people come into the event who didn’t have tickets or the required wristbands to the sold-out concert. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">As we were arriving to the Astroworld Festival at NRG Park right at 2:00, a stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained. <br /><br />(Excuse any language you may hear) <a href="https://t.co/d0m2rjqAAk">pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk</a></p> — Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) <a href="https://twitter.com/MycahABC13/status/1456704812456845316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Fans just broke through the fence to get into <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AstroWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AstroWorld</a><a href="https://t.co/mpi70ZzTOs">pic.twitter.com/mpi70ZzTOs</a></p> — XXL Magazine (@XXL) <a href="https://twitter.com/XXL/status/1456724589560598537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As fans knocked down the barricades, many got stuck under the sea of people storming the venue. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many people believe that as people without tickets pushed their way into the show, the venue quickly rose to maximum capacity, and was filled with people at an unsafe number. </span></p> <p><strong>Why did the concert continue?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the majority of the injuries and deaths happened while Travis Scott, the main performer of the night, was on the stage, many in the crowd tried to start a chant of “Stop the show”.  </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Fans urged and pleaded with Travis Scott to stop the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASTROFEST?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASTROFEST</a> show amid the mass casualty event. He continues to sing. <a href="https://t.co/xsBdX2Ew3x">pic.twitter.com/xsBdX2Ew3x</a></p> — Drama For The Girls (@dramaforthegirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/dramaforthegirl/status/1456974764879269890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to the overwhelming noise of the concert production, these cries went underheard by the performer and by concert officials. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two concert-goers even climbed on a platform where a cameraman was filming the event, as they tried to get someone to notice what was happening. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The young woman, Seanna, posted her detailed recount of the event to her </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV7NkBiLf3L/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as another person captured her pleas to the cameraman, saying “Someone is dead in there”.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">“There is somebody dead.”<br /><br />“Stop the show. Stop the show. Stop the show.”<br /><br />And the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AstroWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AstroWorld</a> show continued<a href="https://t.co/uHJKGiSosX">pic.twitter.com/uHJKGiSosX</a></p> — David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/David_Leavitt/status/1457017187038908424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In her recount, Seanna said that as she desperately asked the cameraman to do something, the cameraman told her “he would push me off the 15ft platform if I didn’t get down” because “they were live-streaming the show”. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At one point throughout the show, Travis stops performing and says “Who asked me to stop?” before ignoring the cries of his audience and continuing the concert. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">tw/// astroworld <br /><br />the screams for help oh my God <a href="https://t.co/W1RMyxbE2z">pic.twitter.com/W1RMyxbE2z</a></p> — ★Reena★ (@harujukoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/harujukoo/status/1457053492049285125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><strong>Has anything like this happened before?</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes. At the 2019 Astroworld festival, three people were </span><a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-astroworld-2019-three-people-trampled-20211106-ulo2z6uderci5edpsqbz7s37e4-story.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">trampled and hospitalised</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as fans rushed to the entrance of the music event. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crowd crushings have long been deadly and led to casualties, as </span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/rock-roll-tragedy-why-11-died-at-the-whos-cincinnati-concert-93437/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">11 people died in 1979</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as fans scrambled to enter an Ohio venue for a concert by The Who. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At Sydney’s Olympic Stadium, </span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/how-the-big-day-out-lost-its-innocence/11606956"><span style="font-weight: 400;">teenager Jessica Michalik died</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> after being crushed in a mosh pit at the Big Day Out festival in 2001. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><strong>What now?</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Houston officials are investigating the events that led to the devastating concert, as Travis Scott says he is “absolutely devastated” by what happened at Astroworld. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/ijXKslw7E2">pic.twitter.com/ijXKslw7E2</a></p> — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) <a href="https://twitter.com/trvisXX/status/1457018948109705217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the deaths of 8 people, the second day of Astroworld was cancelled and the investigation remains ongoing. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

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"How dare you": Novak Djokovic reacts to frosty reception at Wimbledon

<p>Novak Djokovic has won a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title and sixth Wimbledon crown on Monday morning (AEST) with a four-set victory over Italian slugger Matteo Berrettini with rival superstar Roger Federer hailing the achievement as a "wonderful performance".</p> <p>The world number one triumphed 6-7 (4/7) 6-4 6-4 6-3 to move level on 20 majors with Federer and Rafael Nadal.</p> <p>His victory has put him three-quarters of the way to the first calendar Grand Slam of all four majors since 1969.</p> <p>“I could definitely envisage that happening and I hope I will give it a shot. I’m in great form and played well and having my best form at Grand Slams is my number one priority,” said Djokovic.</p> <p>This was Djokovic's sixth victory at the All England Club, who was playing his 30th final.</p> <p>The win has been added to his previous achievements, as he has won nine Australian Opens, two Roland Garros and three US Open titles.</p> <p>Should he win a fourth title in New York in September, he will become just the third man in history after Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) to complete the calendar Grand Slam.</p> <p>“It was more than a battle. He is a true Italian hammer, I felt it on my skin,” said Djokovic of Berrettini.</p> <p>Of sharing the majors record with Federer and Nadal, he added: “It means none of us three will stop. Roger and Rafa are legends, they are the reason I am where I am today.</p> <p>“They showed me what I needed to do to get stronger, physically, tactically and mentally. Over the last 10 years it has been an incredible journey that’s not stopping here.”</p> <p>But despite his incredible efforts, Djokovic was not the crowd favourite.</p> <p>Earlier in the tournament he was given a frosty reception, with spectators leaning towards Berrettini.</p> <p>Tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg noted “these are some loud ‘Matt-e-o!’ chants” while Adam Peacock tweeted: “Novak could be playing a parking officer and still have minority support.”</p> <p>However, the top seed wasn’t going to be affected. After saving two break points to hold for 4-2 in the third set, Djokovic insisted he couldn’t hear the crowd.</p> <p>“I can’t hear you,” he said as he cupped his ear with his racquet.</p> <p>One English TV commentator said: “That’s a very strong hold and that’s full of character. Who do you think you’re dealing with here? The best player of all time.</p> <p>“To come here and win five times, ‘You still don’t love me? How dare you’.”</p> <p>Another commentator added: “That’s exactly the conversation he’s having.”</p> <p>In a post-match press conference, Djokovic’s coach Goran Ivanisevic said: “The crowd, it’s normal they were for Matteo, they want him. But still he (Djokovic) is amazing. He doesn’t want to go. Like in the movies. You have to kill the guy 27 times &amp; still he gets up &amp; you have to kill him again &amp; he gets up, he gets up. He just, you can’t.”</p> <p>Ivanisevic also said he thinks the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) debate in men’s tennis is already closed in favour of his charge, but added: “If he wins the US Open, I think it’s over.”</p>

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Melbourne crowd's disgraceful act after Djokovic wins 18th Australian Open

<p>A chorus of boos was heard around Rod Laver Arena before Novak Djokovic and Banil Medvedev addressed the crowd following the Australian Open final.</p> <p>Djokovic secured an incredible ninth titled title at Melbourne Park - his 18th grand slam crown - by defeating Medvedev in straight sets as he put on a stunning display in the Victorian capital.</p> <p>Jayne Hrdlicka, the chair of Tennis Australia appeared on stage during the post-match ceremony on Sunday night and would not have been expecting the backlash that erupted over some of her comments.</p> <p>After congratulating the two players, Hdlicka thanked several people while also addressing the pandemic.</p> <p>Needless to say, a few of her remarks were not well received by the Melbourne crowd.</p> <p>The first moment which spurred a negative reaction was Hrdlicka’s mention of the recent COVID-19 vaccine rollout.</p> <p>“It’s been a time of heartfelt challenge. It’s been a time of deep loss and extraordinary sacrifice for everyone,” Hrdlicka said.</p> <p>“With vaccinations on the way, rolling out in many countries around the world, it’s now a time for optimism and hope for the future.”</p> <p>The comment sparked outrage amongst fans, who could be heard booing from the stands.</p> <p>Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith tweeted: “People booing vaccines at the #ausopen need to take a long hard look at their privilege. Disgraceful behaviour.”</p> <p>The crowd once again booed after Hrdlicka thanked the Victorian Government for their support.</p> <p>Premier Daniel Andrews has plenty of supporters in his home state, but there are also many who are unhappy with the strict lockdowns he’s imposed as Victoria fought to prevent the spread of COVID-19.</p> <p>“There are many other people to thank that enabled this great night to take place in the last couple of weeks,” Hrdlicka said.</p> <p>“The top of that list is a Victorian Government, without you we could not have done this.”</p> <p>Spectators repeatedly interrupted Hrdlicka, with the TA chair eventually losing her patience and coldly saying: “When you’re finished …”</p> <p>Hrdlicka added: “You are a very opinionated group of people, but whether you’re at home or here tonight, we are really thankful that you’re here. We look forward to seeing you next year.”</p> <p>There was plenty of criticism reserved for the crowd's response.</p> <p>Former Australian tennis star Rennae Stubbs tweeted: “These fans booing are disgraceful! Honestly!!! Grow up!”</p> <p>Journalist Isabelle Lane posted: “Embarrassing scenes at this #AusOpen presentation. Tennis Australia boss Jayne Hrdlicka booed by parts of crowd when mentioning the coronavirus vaccine rollout and thanking the Victorian government for the event. Hrdlicka notably failed to thank the people of Melbourne/Vic.”</p> <p>Cricket reporter Danyal Rasool tweeted: “Booing the Victorian government, one of the few in the world that actually took the measures that made it possible for them to sit in the crowd to boo in the first place, is a next-level self-awareness fail.”</p>

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Duchess Fergie moves crowd to tears after delivering emotional speech

<p>Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, does extensive charity work but it is often kept under wraps.</p> <p>However, UK Magazine <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2019062574616/sarah-ferguson-moves-audience-to-tears-star-mum-awards-hello-magazine/" target="_blank">Hello!</a></em> sought to change all of that as it hosted its first Star Women awards.</p> <p>The Duchess of York received the Inspiration of the Year award for her charity work, which also includes being founder patron of Street Child.</p> <p>Street Child is a UK charity that was established back in 2008 and aims to create education opportunities for vulnerable children in Africa and Asia.</p> <p>The 59-year-old worked the room as she accepted her award, before moving the audience to tears and then later on having them in stitches.</p> <p>In her speech, she promised to help last year’s star mums Lisa Wells at her fundraising ball.</p> <p>However, the Duchess of York quipped: <span>"Maybe you'd prefer one of the other duchesses?"</span></p> <p>The same day as the award ceremony, she appeared on <em>This Morning</em>, where Sarah went into a detailed explanation about her support for a campaign that ensures all ingredients are listed on pre-packaged food.</p> <p>This comes after the death of a girl who died as a result of consuming something with incorrect labelling.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzIQo4VFBLV/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzIQo4VFBLV/" target="_blank">An honour to join Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s parents Nadim and Tanya to launch @natashasfoundation on @thismorning with @hollywilloughby and @schofe. We need to make her death a watershed moment and support research into a cure #natashaslegacy So proud to have been asked to be patron of @natashasfoundation. Today we’re delighted to welcome Government announcement of Natasha’s Law to support allergy sufferers but there is much more work to do to promote research @itv #natashaslegacy</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahferguson15/" target="_blank"> Sarah Ferguson</a> (@sarahferguson15) on Jun 25, 2019 at 3:16am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>To top off the day, she also attended the British Heart Foundation’s “Bias and Biology” panel, where she advocated for more awareness about the inequalities in women’s healthcare surrounding heart disease.</p>

Caring

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"Super-recognisers" accurately pick out a face in a crowd – but can this skill be taught?

<p>Yenny is 26 years old, lives in Melbourne, and has a very specific talent.</p> <p>One day, she was driving her car when she recognised a man who had been several years below her at high school and whom she hadn’t seen for more than ten years. What makes this particularly impressive is that she recognised him from the briefest glimpse in her rear-view mirror while he was driving the car behind hers.</p> <p>Yenny recounts many such amazing feats of recognition and is one of a very small proportion of the population known as “super-recognisers”. She was the top performer on a<span> </span><a href="https://facetest.psy.unsw.edu.au/">national test of face recognition abilities</a><span> </span>in Australia, coming first out of 20,000 participants.</p> <p>Could you learn to spot a face as well as Yenny? Well … maybe. Our<span> </span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0211037">new research</a><span> </span>shows that many training courses offered in this field of expertise are ineffective in improving people’s accuracy in face identification.</p> <p>But other ways of learning how to identify faces may work; we’re just not yet sure exactly how.</p> <p><strong>In-demand expertise</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904192/">Super-recognisers</a><span> </span>are used by police and security agencies to spot targets in crowded train stations, monitor surveillance footage, and track people of interest.</p> <p>During the 2011 London riots, for example, super-recognisers from the Metropolitan Police<span> </span><a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150611-the-superpower-police-now-use-to-tackle-crime">identified more than 600 people</a><span> </span>from very poor-quality surveillance footage – a task that not even the best facial recognition software can perform reliably.</p> <p>So can anyone become a super-recogniser? Can you make up for a lack of superpowers through training? In our<span> </span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0211037">paper</a><span> </span>we assessed the effectiveness of training courses given to practitioners who make facial identification decisions for a living.</p> <p>We reviewed 11 training courses that comply with international training standards from Australia, UK, US and Finland.</p> <p>We found that training courses typically teach facial anatomy – focusing on the muscles, bones and shape of the face – and instruct trainees to inspect faces feature by feature. Novices and genuine trainees completed one of four training courses and we tracked their identification accuracy from before to after training.</p> <p>Surprisingly, we found the training courses had almost no effect on people’s accuracy. This was especially surprising to the people who took the training – an astonishing 93% of trainees thought the training had improved their ability to identify faces.</p> <p>Our research shows that even the world’s best available training – used to train police, border control agents, forensic scientists and other security personnel – does not compensate for talent in face recognition.</p> <p>This is consistent with recent research suggesting that our face identification abilities are largely predetermined by<span> </span><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/107/11/5238.long">genetics</a>.</p> <p><strong>Forensic facial examiners</strong></p> <p>This may come as disappointing news to people who hope to become a super-recogniser. But all is not lost.</p> <p>Scientists have recently discovered that some specialist groups of practitioners show very high levels of accuracy. Forensic facial examiners routinely compare images of faces to turn CCTV images into informative face identification evidence in criminal trials. Recent work shows that they too outperform novices in very<span> </span><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/24/6171">challenging tests</a>.</p> <p>Forensic facial examiners present a paradox for scientists. They perform face identification tasks with a high degree of accuracy, and this ability appears to be acquired through professional experience and training.</p> <p><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0211037">Our study</a><span> </span>suggests there is no benefit of face identification training courses when tested immediately before and after.</p> <p>In addition,<span> </span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0103510">previous work</a><span> </span>has suggested that merely performing face-matching tasks in daily work is not sufficient to improve accuracy. Some passport officers have been working for 20 years and perform no better than others who have been working for just a few months.</p> <p>This paradox suggests there is something particular about the type of training and professional experience that forensic facial examiners receive that enables them to develop visual expertise in identifying faces, and which isn’t provided by standard training courses.</p> <p><strong>How do they do it?</strong></p> <p>In our current research we are working closely with government agencies to uncover the basis of forensic facial examiners’ expertise. For example, we now know that part of their expertise comes from using a very particular<span> </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28045276">comparison strategy</a>, where they break the face down into individual facial features and then slowly and systematically assess the similarity of each feature in turn.</p> <p>Interestingly, the nature of this expertise appears to be qualitatively different to that of super-recognisers – Yenny recognised her old classmate using a quick, intuitive process as she glanced in the rear-view mirror.</p> <p>However, these snap judgements made by super-recognisers may not be suitable for the type of identification evidence that forensic facial examiners give in court, where a careful analysis of facial images is necessary to support identification decisions. Importantly, forensic facial examiners provide detailed reports of the observations used to support their decisions, which can then be cross-examined in court.</p> <p><strong>Trainable vs hardwired</strong></p> <p>Super-recognisers and forensic facial examiners use distinct routes to high performance in face identification.</p> <p>Effective training appears to target the slower, deliberate and analytical visual processing that characterises forensic facial examiners.</p> <p>The faster and more intuitive skill that enabled Yenny to recognise faces of relative strangers in her rear-view mirror is likely to be untrainable, and hard-wired.</p> <p>This raises the question of how to balance these different sources of expertise. It may be that super-recognisers are best suited to surveillance-type roles, such as monitoring CCTV or searching for targets in large crowds.</p> <p>Forensic facial examiners may be better suited to providing identification evidence to the court, which requires thorough explanations of how and why the expert came to their decision.</p> <p>Alternatively, it may be possible to train super-recognisers in the expert skills characterising forensic facial examination, or to form teams that include both types of expert.</p> <p>The aim of our work is to integrate these sources of human expertise with the latest face recognition software to improve the accuracy of face identification evidence. Such a system can make society safer, but also fairer, by reducing the likelihood of wrongful convictions.</p> <p>Can you beat Yenny’s high score of 88% on the super-recogniser test? Find out<span> </span><a href="https://facetest.psy.unsw.edu.au/">here</a>.</p> <p><em>Written by Alice Towler and David White. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/super-recognisers-accurately-pick-out-a-face-in-a-crowd-but-can-this-skill-be-taught-112003">The Conversation.</a></em></p>

Technology

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Roger Federer’s classy act after opponent attacked by crowd

<p>Roger Federer has defended his opponent Alexander Zverev after the Swiss tennis champion’s fans booed Zverev on Saturday as he beat Federer in a stunning victory at the ATP finals.</p> <p>Zverev, 21, beat the 20-time grand slam champion fair and square 7-5 7-6 (7-5) as he claimed his third victory after his sixth meeting with Federer, but the monumental occasion was overshadowed by the booing of the crowd.</p> <p>Federer, who took charge of the match, was beating Zverev by one point with the score at 4-3, but after a ball slipped from a ball boy’s hand into Zverev’s line of vision, the 21-year-old stopped the play mid-rally.</p> <p>When the point was replayed, Zverev served an ace.</p> <p>After the controversial moment, Zverev obtained a few more points causing Federer to lose the match, which is no easy feat.</p> <p>But Zverev’s victory wasn’t welcomed by Federer fans as his on-court interview was drowned out by loud boos from those who believe the young tennis player's win was unfair.</p> <p>Speaking to reporters, Federer said: “Look, I understand the frustration. It’s just unfortunate circumstances.</p> <p>“Booing, I never like it. We see it in other sports all the time, but in tennis it’s rare.</p> <p>“So, when it happens, it gets very personal and we take it very direct. I think it’s unfortunate that this happened. Sascha doesn’t deserve it.</p> <p>“He apologised to me at the net. I was like, ‘Buddy, shut up! You don’t need to apologise to me here. Congratulations on a great match and a great tournament so far.’</p> <p>“He didn’t do anything about it. He just called it how it was. He felt it affected play. There is a rule that if something like this happens, obviously you replay points.”</p> <p>Federer mentioned how he approached the ball boy to find out if he had dropped the ball.</p> <p>“He said, ‘Yes, I did drop the ball.’ From that standpoint, it’s okay, no problem, that happens. It’s all good. I hope he doesn’t have a sleepless night. It’s not a big deal at the end of the day. This is life, this is sport. Definitely not mad at him. It’s all good,” he said.</p> <p>But despite Federer’s support, Zverev said the reaction from the crowd left him disheartened.</p> <p>“I was a little bit sad at the end with the booing and reaction of the crowd,” he said.</p> <p>“I was very emotional afterwards. The booing went into cheering kind of afterwards, which kind of helped me.</p> <p>“I was really upset afterwards in the locker room, I’m not going to lie. I had to take a few minutes for myself.</p> <p>“But, you know, I hope the crowd and the people who were booing maybe look at what actually happened, maybe just realise that I’ve maybe not done anything wrong.”</p>

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Roger Federer leaves crowd in awe with incredible victory speech

<p>Fans present at the Swiss Indoors tournament were left stunned after tennis legend Roger Federer delivered his victory speech in three different languages.</p> <p>While Federer’s 99th career title against Marius Copil was an impressive feat, it was his speech after claiming victory that really left the crowd in awe.</p> <p>Federer chose to deliver his speech in his native tongue, Swiss-German, and then proceeded to deliver the same speech in French and English.</p> <p>He started off speaking in his first language and then later on, showed his gratitude by thanking his fans in English.</p> <p>“For those who do not speak such good German and Swiss-German, thank you very much for coming,” he said.</p> <p>“Thanks for supporting me this week. It’s been a magical week for me and I can’t thank you enough.</p> <p>“It was a dream run for me so thank you everybody for coming out.”</p> <p>He then made sure to fulfil a promise he made to his French supporters.</p> <p>“I made a promise to my fans to say a few words in French as well so here we are,” he said in French.</p> <p>Federer, who has remained unbeaten in the Swiss tournament for the last four years ended up claiming the win after an hour and 33 minutes.</p> <p>This is Federer’s first title in over four months since his last win on grass at Stuttgart in June.</p>

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The heartwarming moment that brought the Invictus Games crowd to tears

<p>The Invictus Games is a tournament that symbolises hope, rehabilitation and creates a wider understanding for those who put their lives on the line to serve their country.</p> <p>And on Monday, two spirited competitors represented exactly that, with not a dry eye in sight as spectators were left watching the events unfold.</p> <p>Paul Guest, a British mine warfare specialist, was left frightened and unable to play after a helicopter flying above triggered his PTSD.</p> <p>The 54-year-old was in the middle of his wheelchair tennis doubles match at Sydney Olympic Park while the incident occurred. Guest, who was injured while serving in Northern Ireland, was so shaken up that he needed to pause the game and regroup.</p> <p>It wasn’t until his Dutch teammate Edwin Vermetten came to stand by his side to comfort him that he felt at ease.</p> <p>In an act of pure kindness, Vermetten immediately rushed over to Guest once he understood what was happening.</p> <p>The Dutch player held Guest by his shoulders and pulled their foreheads together before he began singing in what could only be described as a moment of camaraderie.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpPFxFYAm3t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpPFxFYAm3t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A helicopter flying over the Sydney Olympic Park precinct triggered an immediate emotional response in a British wheelchair tennis player but his Dutch partner who brought him around by singing a Disney movie theme song to him. “For him, this was the moment he let go, and he did, he literally let it all go.” Click the link in our bio to read more about his story. #IG2018 #GameOnDownUnder</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/invictusgames2018/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Invictus Games Sydney 2018</a> (@invictusgames2018) on Oct 22, 2018 at 5:42am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Vermetten said it was the song “Let It Go” from the Disney film <em>Frozen</em> that helped Guest recover from his fears.</p> <p>“I took him by the face and said, ‘Look at me. We are a team so let it go,’” said Vermetten, speaking to <em><a href="https://www.invictusgames2018.org/latest/helicopter-triggers-emotional-scenes-at-wheelchair-tennis/">Invictus Games</a></em>.</p> <p>“’Look into my eyes and sing the <em>Frozen</em> song’, and we did.</p> <p>“For him, this was the moment he let go, and he did, he literally let it all go,” he said.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821525/gettyimages-1052729362.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f1e1364ae6454d08874a76705c415d66" /></p> <p>Those watching the heartwarming moment unfold were left in tears as they witnessed two men in an embrace, singing to help dismiss their fears.</p> <p>After Vermetten comforted Guest, the pair went on to win the match in a third set tie break. Despite only meeting a few days ago, the pair have become the best of friends.</p> <p>Guest was a part of the British Armed Forces and served in Northern Ireland before suffering from injuries relating to his neck and spine during duty in 1987.</p> <p>The incident resulted in partial deafness and an impairment in his sight, and he was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.</p> <p>Guest attempted to commit suicide four times after he was discharged from the Armed Forces, it was then that his wife forced him to seek help.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 333.3333333333333px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821524/gettyimages-1052716920.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b984f6ab80d749be95558254f717d638" /></p> <p>“On the fourth occasion when I tried to commit suicide, my wife literally dragged me off to get help,” he told <em><a href="https://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/15458725.wounded-veteran-who-felt-worthless-after-discharge-finds-pride-thanks-to-invictus-games/">The Clacton Gazette</a></em>.</p> <p>“She contacted <a href="https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/">Help for Heroes</a> (a charity organisation that provides support for service men and service women and their families), I became a Band of Brother and the rest is history.</p> <p>“The Invictus Games has given me something to aim for. Pulling on the Invictus Games uniform is like pulling on my Navy uniform.</p> <p>“I feel part of a team again, like I belong. I’m proud to be representing my country once again.</p> <p>“Without Help for Heroes and without the goal of the Invictus Games I honestly wouldn’t be here today. I recently lost a good friend of mine called Michael. He sadly took his own life recently and I promised at his graveside I would never give up.”</p> <p>And he made sure to stick to that promise after his emotional setback at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, where he went on to win the tennis doubles match with his teammate.</p> <p><em>If you are troubled by this article, experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call the Depression Helpline at 0800 111 757 or visit <a href="http://depression.org.nz/">depression.org.nz</a>.</em></p>

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