An additional Dh81million is needed for Solar Impulse 2 to complete its round-the-world flight, the team has said.
The figure was an “initial estimation”, a spokeswoman for the team said, and the funds would cover the salaries of 150 people, logistics and material for the coming year.
Battery damage to the solar-powered plane has grounded the aircraft until at least April next year.
The plane was damaged during its record-breaking trans-Pacific flight from Japan to Hawaii piloted by Andrew Borschberg, one of the co-founders of the mission. Battery temperatures in the aircraft rose during the flight, with no way to cool the battery packs, the team said.
Mr Borschberg and fellow pilot and co-founder Bertrand Piccard aim for Solar Impulse 2 to be the first flight around the world for a plane without using fuel. They have also advocated for clean energy during their stopovers in various locations.
The aircraft took off from Abu Dhabi on March 9, stopping in Oman, India, Myanmar, China and Japan before flying across the Pacific after a series of delays due to bad weather conditions.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Results:
Women:
1. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) 322.95 points
2. Lysanne Richard (CAN) 285.75
3. Ellie Smart (USA) 277.70
Men:
1. Gary Hunt (GBR) 431.55
2. Constantin Popovici (ROU) 424.65
3. Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR) 392.30
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
