45 Dead as Air Force Plane Crashes in Sulu

Jul. 5—UPDATED 01:10 AM JULY 5, 2021

An Air Force plane carrying nearly a hundred passengers overshot the runway while landing at the Jolo airport in Sulu on Sunday and crashed, leaving 45 people dead.

About 50 of the passengers were injured.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said 92 people were aboard the C130, including the three pilots and five crew members.

Most of those aboard were Army soldiers who were reporting for duty in Sulu, and there were some civilians, Lorenzana said in a statement.

As of 6 p.m. on Monday, 29 bodies have been recovered. Joint Task Force Sulu said 17 others were missing.

The transport plane was ferrying 89 soldiers from Cagayan de Oro City to Sulu, reported Armed Forces chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

The rescued passengers were brought to the Army's 11th Infantry Division hospital in Sulu, Sobejana said.

The plane's pilots failed to regain power after missing the runway. The plane crashed and burst into flames in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul, Sobejana said in a separate interview with reporters.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said 43 of those rescued were soldiers and four were civilians.

Vinluan said his command has so far accounted for only four fatalities.

He said authorities had to wait for the burning wreckage to cool down before approaching it.

Photos of the crash went viral on social media.

The crash site is surrounded by small trees and a bamboo fence.

One photo showed an Army lieutenant, his head bloodied, and another soldier nearby being assisted by unidentified men.

Another photo showed the burning wreckage of the aircraft, its tail number 5125 visible amid the thick smoke.

"We remain to be hopeful that we could find more survivors," said Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of the JTF Sulu. "These individuals were supposed to report to their battalions today. They were supposed to join us in our fight against terrorism."

Gonzales said some eyewitnesses claimed to have seen some soldiers jumping out of the aircraft before it hit the ground.

"This is a sad day but we have to remain hopeful. We enjoin the nation to pray for those who are injured and those who have perished in this tragedy," he added.

All C130 planes have been grounded, Lorenzana told The Manila Times.

He also dispelled allegations the military's equipment were defective.

The Air Force is believed to have no more than five C130s still in service. The aircraft were acquired by the Philippines from the United States under a military assistance grant.

The crash came four days after an Air Force S-701 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during night flight training in the town of Capas in Tarlac, killing all six airmen aboard.

The Polish-built chopper was under the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing based at Clark Air Base. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

The Philippines acquired the helicopters in a $241-million government-to-government deal with Poland in 2019.

Malacañang said it was "deeply saddened" by the incident.

"Rescue efforts are ongoing and we are one in praying for the safe recovery of the passengers," Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a statement on Sunday.

WITH KEITH CALAYAG AND CRIS DIAZ

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