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Saturday, October 27, 2007
34 hurt as jet misses runway
By Ben Serrano
Caraga Correspondent
BUTUAN CITY -- Thirty-four people were hurt when Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight No. 475 from Manila overshot the 1.2 kilometer Butuan Airport runway here at past 6 a.m. Friday.
The plane landed at Purok 6, Barangay Bancasi, which is dotted by 50 houses located 150 meters away from the runway.
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Police said the PAL plane bearing body number RP-C3224 has 148 listed passengers from Manila. It left Manila at 5:20 a.m. Friday morning.
PAL Butuan City Office Manager Abelardo Plaza identified the pilots as Captain Fernando Santos and First Officer Ramon Balinghasag. He identified the crewmembers as Tony Jopson, Maria Josefina Genvino, Aileen Sison, and Benito Nazar.
Plaza failed to provide more details on the accident. "We have to wait instructions from our Manila office as investigators from Manila aboard our King Air plane will arrive Saturday here to investigate the incident," he told newsmen here.
But Rainelle Ayonayon, who was at Plaza's office, complained about alleged inaction and neglect of crewmembers. Her seven-year-old daughter Jesha was among those injured in the incident.
She said it was the passengers who had to find ways to get off the plane when it crash-landed into Barangay Bancasi.
Ayonayon's 37-year-old brother, Reiner Salas, said one of the pilots was hurt.
Those injured were brought to different hospitals in the city proper, with some of them located eight kilometers from Barangay Bancasi where the Butuan City Airport is located.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Caraga Regional Director Elmer Doropan Doyo later told reporters he suspected it was an error in landing that caused the accident.
Doyo, however, referred newsmen to the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Aviation Security Group, the Air Transportation Office (ATO), and the Civil Aviation Board for more information.
Earlier, PAL spokesman Rolando Estabillo said the plane's doors and exits were swung open and emergency slides were deployed.
Estabillo said the pilot and co-pilot were slightly hurt in the neck and nose and several others were brought to a hospital.
"Some have only anxiety reaction and had themselves checked," Doyo said, adding other injuries included scrapes and bruises.
Estabillo said the airport in Butuan, about 790 kilometers (490 miles) southeast of Manila, was closed until Saturday while the plane and the runway were being inspected.
Butuan Airport Manager Emmanuel Costelo said the plane's two engines were damaged. The cause of the accident was under investigation. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/With AP)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (October 27, 2007 issue)
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