2023: Year of bizarre events

By Ayse Irem Tiryaki

ANKARA (AA) – 2023 was a year full of interesting events, ranging from a woman in Australia having a live worm removed from her brain to a driver in Tokyo being arrested for intentionally killing a pigeon. Numerous peculiar incidents left their mark on the year we ready to say goodbye, surprising and astonishing readers.

Elvis Francois, 47, who drifted away and was lost while repairing a small sailboat due to hard weather in waters near the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean, was rescued by the Colombian navy.

After treatment at hospital, Francois, whose health was reported to be good, said he survived three weeks by consuming a bottle of tomato sauce, garlic powder and a can of broth.

- Man loses his life when his dog accidentally triggers gun

In the US state of Kansas, a man traveling with his dog in the back seat lost his life when his dog accidentally triggered a gun.

The dog stepped on the rifle in the back of the truck, causing it to fire and hit the back of Smith, who was found in the front passenger seat.

As a result of the gun firing when the dog made contact, the 30-year-old owner bled to death at the scene.

- Brain surgery performed on baby in womb in US

After the detection of a rare condition called Galen vein malformation in a baby in the mother's womb, brain surgery was performed on the baby in Boston, the US.

Doctors used ultrasound to guide a long needle from the mother's belly to the affected part of the baby's brain. Subsequently, doctors successfully performed the surgery by injecting a substance into the vessel to block backflow.

- Death occurs from grenade explosion found among grandfather's belongings

In the US city of Indianapolis, Indiana, a man, 47, lost his life as a result of the explosion of a grenade in his grandfather's belongings.

Police said the death occurred when the pin of the grenade, found among the belongings, was pulled. The victim had a 14-year-old son and an 18-year-old daughter, who were injured by shrapnel.

- 4 children survive after falling from plane, spending 40 days in forest

In Colombia, four children survived the crash of a small plane with seven people on board on May 1.

Children found by the Colombian military were reported to have problems related to fluid loss and insect bites.

Among those who survived in the forest for 40 days was an 11-month-old baby.

- 3 inches, live worm removed from woman's brain

In January 2021, a 64-year-old woman in Australia went to hospital with complaints, including abdominal pain and diarrhea lasting three weeks, as well as symptoms such as dry cough, fever and excessive sweating at night.

When forgetfulness and depression were added to the complaints later, she was referred to hospital in Canberra. It was decided that the woman would undergo surgery.

During surgery, doctors removed a live worm from the woman's brain, measuring 8 centimeters (3 inches) in length and 1 millimeter in width.

- Plane turns back due to passenger with diarrhea

According to reports in the US, the pilot of a Delta Air Lines' flight from Atlanta to Barcelona reported a "biological hazard."

The plane returned them to the Atlanta Airport two hours after takeoff. It was said that the reason for the incident was a passenger having diarrhea.

- A person who committed theft by imitating lifeless mannequin caught in Poland

A 22-year-old suspect stayed in the shopping center in Poland's capital by imitating a lifeless mannequin and entered several businesses, including a jewelry store, after closing hours.

The suspect, who committed theft from the businesses, also ate at restaurants.

- 70-year-old woman gave birth to twins in Uganda

Safina Namukwaya, 70, gave birth to twins, one boy and one girl, the International Women's and Maternity Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, announced.

It said Namukwaya, estimated to be the oldest woman to give birth in Africa, had been undergoing in vitro fertilization for some time, and the woman became a mother for the first time.

- Taxi driver arrested for deliberately running over, killing pigeon in Tokyo

Ozawa Atsusi, a taxi driver who was angry at pigeons on the road in the Shinjuku region of Tokyo, deliberately drove his vehicle to where the pigeons were when traffic lights turned green.

Ozawa, driving at a speed of about 60 kilometers per hour (37 miles per hour), hit the pigeons, killing one and leaving the scene.

An autopsy found the cause of death was traumatic shock.

The 50-year-old driver was arrested in December on charges of intentionally killing a non-game bird and violating the Wildlife Protection Act.