A military aircraft C-130 transporting troops from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines crashed while landing at the Jolo airport on Sunday, killing at least 29 personnel and hurting 50 others, military officials said.
There was 92 personnel on board including 3 pilots and 5 crew. The rest were Army personnel reporting for duty, Secretary of National Defense said in a statement.
Joint Task Force Sulu (TFS), in a statement, said 29 bodies were recovered from the crash site as of 5:30 p.m., with 50 others hospitalized.
Those on board the aircraft are new privates of the Philippine Army who supposed to be deployed in Sulu, JTF Sulu said. Eyewitnesses also said a number of soldiers were seen jumping out of the aircraft before it hit the ground.
Seventeen individuals remain missing, JTF Sulu Commander MGen. William Gonzales said.
“We remain to be hopeful that we could find more survivors. Our search and rescue is still ongoing with 17 personnel unaccounted,” says JTF Sulu Commander MGen. William Gonzales.
“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,” Gonzales added.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said the C130 aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) crashed while landing at an airport in Jolo around noon.
It “missed the runway while trying to regain power,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.
The plane, previously in service with the US Air Force, was handed to the Philippines in January, BBC reported. It was the first of two used Hercules to be delivered by the US under a defense co-operation scheme, BBC reports.
The aircraft first flew in 1988, according to Aviation Safety Network.
(With Agency Inputs)
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