Thursday, December 7, 2023
World

50 people killed in military plane crash in Philippines

On a rural southern island, Philippine security personnel searched among coconut palms for the flight data boxes of military plane crash in Philippines killed 50 people in one of the country’s deadliest military air accidents.

On Sunday, a C-130 Hercules cargo jet carrying 96 personnel, the most of whom were recent army grads, overshot the runway while attempting to land on Jolo island in Sulu province, a sanctuary for Islamist extremists.

According to military spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo, the plane “skidded” and burst into flames in a community, killing 50 persons, including 47 military men and three civilians in military plane crash in Philippines. Another 53 people were hurt, the majority of whom were servicemen. It was unclear whether the pilots were among those who survived in military plane crash in Philippines.

This is one of the most sad situations in our military’s history, Arevalo added. According to village chief Tanda Hailid, the three civilians killed were not aboard the flight and were working in a quarry. The damaged tail and smoldering wreckage were spread in a coconut grove, according to photos supplied by the military’s rescue task team.

Arevalo stated that the military had guarded the accident scene and that militants on the island would not obstruct the search. The burned bones of victims were being identified using dental data.

The majority of the travelers had recently completed basic military training and were being sent to the troubled island as part of a justify mission in the Muslim-dominated territory. In the southern Philippines, where violent groups such as the abduct group Abu Sayyaf operate, the military maintains a strong presence.