C130 plane bound for Iloilo crashes, 9 crew feared dead
A military transport aircraft bound for Iloilo City crashed Monday evening in the sea waters off Davao City. Two pilots and seven crewmen of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) are feared dead with debris in the crash site confirmed seen yesterday morning.
In a report, The News Today (TNT) learned that initial alert issued was on the C130 losing contact and out of radar just about ten minutes after its 8:50 p.m. take-off. Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, commanding officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 3rd Civil Relations Group said it was slated to arrive in Iloilo airport at 10 p.m.
The trip was supposed to bring back to Manila the team of Presidential Security Group (PSG) who were in Iloilo for the President's visit.
About 9 a.m. yesterday, hopes of locating the missing plane and crew surfaced following a supposed emergency landing of a C130 plane in Misamis Oriental.
Some thirty minutes later, Captain Marquez clarified to TNT that said information was a "false alarm."
Hours later, news from Davao City came up on the crash amidst search and rescue operation aided by the United States government. The US sent long-range patrol aircraft and joined other air and sea assets deployed by the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy.
News wires disclosed the statement of Air Force Chief Lieutenant General Pedrito Cadungog who confirmed the C-130's departure from Davao International Airport.
The search was then conducted within a 20-mile radius in Davao City with several aircraft involved in the search.
The crashed C130 was recently installed with a new engine and an auxiliary power unit only in August 15th. Monday's crash was to be the first for the PAF.
Authorities identified the aircraft's pilot as Major Manuel Sambrano, and his co-pilot as Captain Adrian de Dios, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1999.
The crew members include:
Flight technical sergeant Constantino Lobregat, Staff Sergeant John Arriola, reportedly an Ilonggo, Staff Sergeant Gerry Delioso, Staff Sergeant Felix Pedro Patriarga, Staff Sergeant Petronilo Fernandez, Staff Sergeant Patricio Claur Jr, and Staff Sergeant Aldrin Ilustrisimo.
News wires further disclosed sightings of residents in a coastal village in Davao City. At least two reported to have seen a huge object crashing in the Davao Gulf with the weather reportedly marked by heavy rains.
The C130 is the PAF's "Hercules" plane and used in the government's recent relief mission to Iloilo and elsewhere in Panay Island.