Airline operations suspended
Friday, April 23, 2010
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MEXICO (Updated 11:55 p.m.) -- Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) suspended Thursday the operations of Inter Island Airline after one of its planes crashed into a rice field in Laput village, this town, Wednesday evening.
Caap Director General Alfonso Cusi said in a television interview that the operation of Inter Island, which owns the Russian-made Antonov 12 aircraft, was suspended effective Thursday while investigation on the incident is ongoing.
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The aircraft, with body number UP-AN216, was transporting export goods from Mactan Airport in Cebu province and was preparing to land at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport at Clark Freeport in Pampanga when it encountered an electrical circuit problem, forcing its pilot to make an emergency landing.
The plane, however, crashed into a rice field in this town, about 35 kilometers south of Clark airport, around 9 p.m. Wednesday. The incident left three passengers dead and three others wounded.
The fatalities were identified as Russian ground engineers Nikolai Bannon and Vadim Yahimov, and Bulgarian national Tzvidoslav Guetchevski.
Among those who survived was the pilot, Russian Tochonyy Yuriy, 50; and Uzbekistan nationals Dmitry Strumminski, co-pilot; and Ruziev Borhadir, flight crew.
Cusi said Thursday that the authorities are already coordinating with the Russian embassy with regard to the plane crash.
Police Regional Office 3 Information officer Baltazar Mamaril Jr. said the plane, with a crew of six, took off from Mactan Airport in Cebu at 7:45 p.m.
The pilot reported an electrical circuit problem, which sparked a fire in the cargo cabin, around 8:50 p.m.
Mamaril said a witness immediately called for help upon seeing the plane crash and burst into flames.
"Nakarinig kami ng malakas na pagsabog, kaya agad kaming pumunta sa lugar na pinagbagsakan ng eroplano. Kami nga ang unang rumesponde dito. Nakita namin ang tatlong tao galing sa bumagsak na eroplano na may sugat sa mukha at ibang pang bahagi ng katawan. Agad silang dinala sa hospital (We heard a loud explosion so we rushed to the crash site. We were the first to respond and we saw the three survivors with injuries in the face and other parts of the body. They were immediately brought to the hospital)," said San Patricio village chief Eddie Roxas.
"Buti na lang at sa bakanteng lote bumagsak ang eroplano kasi kung sa mga bahayan baka marami pa ang nadamay dito (It was fortunate the plane crashed in the rice fields and not in the densely populated residential area. There could have been more fatalities)," he added.
Police Chief Inspector Carlito Fabro, for his part, said firefighters struggled into the night to put out the flames that engulfed the aircraft after it exploded on impact, ripping the plane into two sections.
Villagers managed to rescue the three crew members who suffered bruises and were brought to Makabali Memorial Hospital in the City of San Fernando. The three fatalities, on the other hand, were found near the cockpit.
As of Thursday, attending physicians said the survivors were already out of danger and have been discharged from the emergency unit.
Investigators have recovered the aircraft's data recorder box, which would be turned over to civil aviation authorities in Manila.
Cusi said the black box will be used in identifying what took place before the plane crashed.
Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, Pampanga police director, said the plane was a total wreck when found by Mexico policemen.
Meanwhile, Jose Pedregosa, Civil Aviation Security Manager in Clark, told Sun.Star Pampanga that the plane was allegedly leased to Inter Island Cargo, an airfreight company based in Pasay City.
Authorities said the plane was chartered by Pacific East Air Cargo (PEAC) and United Parcel Service. (HPM/IOF/JTD/Ric Sapnu/With AP/Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
