Monday 5 July 2021

Military plane crashes in Philippines; soldiers, civilians dead

 

A military C-130 plane crashed in the southern Philippines on Sunday with death rising to 52 on Monday.

Officials said that investigators have begun to look into what caused the accident.

Two injured soldiers died in the hospital, bringing the total number of military personnel killed in the fatal crash to 49.

The civilian death toll remained at three.

The plane crashed in Patikul town on Jolo Island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, Defence Secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, said.

Another 47 soldiers and four civilians were injured in the accident and were being treated in hospital, Mr Lorenzana said.

Some of the survivors jumped off the plane just before it hit the ground, eyewitnesses said.

“The investigating team had arrived in the area,’’ said Major­­­-General Edgard Arevalo, spokesman for the armed forces of the Philippines.

“We are determined to find out what really transpired in this very tragic incident,’’ he added.

“According to available information, the aircraft followed specific protocols regarding approach speed, landing spot and part of the runway where it landed.’’

The weather was good during the landing, while the pilots were experienced and rated, Mr Arevalo said.

The plane crashed and burst into flames after overshooting the runway during its landing on Jolo.

Photos showed the tail section of the cargo plane intact, while other parts were burned and scattered in pieces among coconut trees.

The crash site has been cordoned off as troops searched for the plane’s black box and gathered parts of the wreckage to help in the investigation, Arevalo said.

“All the remains of the 47 soldiers who perished have all been recovered and the tedious process of identification is now ongoing,’’ he added.

The aircraft was carrying 96 military personnel, including three pilots and five crew members.

Most of the soldiers were fresh graduates from military training to be deployed to Jolo to help in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, Mr Arevalo said.

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