Friday, October 08, 2004
Main airport reopens (11:50 a.m.)
MANILA -- Manila airport reopened to traffic Friday, hours after it was shut down by a ageing military cargo plane that became stranded in the middle of a runway after making an emergency landing, officials said.
The C-130 turboprop took off 06:00 am (2200 GMT Thursday) to ferry members of President Arroyo's bodyguards to the central Philippines, but turned back a few minutes later due to mechanical problems and blew out two tyres on landing, the Air Force said.
Emergency services towed the aircraft away from the middle of the runway more than three hours later, and flights resumed at the country's busiest airport in mid-morning, airport control tower officials said.
Several outgoing international flights were delayed while incoming jets were diverted to other airports elsewhere in the country during the emergency. (AFP)
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