Military plane carrying 92 people crashes in Philippines, at least 40 rescued, many feared dead

New Delhi: A Philippine military plane carrying over 92 people crashed in the southern Philippines on Sunday (July 4, 2021), Defence Minister Delfin Lorenzana was quoted as saying by Reuters. The Defence Minister also added that three pilots and five other crew members were also on board. The Philippine military chief said that at least 40 people have been rescued from the aircraft till now.

The Lockheed C-130 aircraft had a mishap on landing after missing a runway. The Philippine Air Force, in a statement, said, "Rescue efforts are ongoing."

A Reuters report cited a local commander as saying that over 17 bodies had been found and the death toll was expected to rise. 

Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said that those rescued on Sunday were pulled from the wreckage in Sulu province.

Cirilito Sobejana said in a message to Reuters that the plane had crashed a few kilometres (miles) from Jolo airport at 11:30 a.m. (0330 GMT) and had been carrying troops. "We are currently attending to the survivors who were immediately brought to the 11th Infantry Division station hospital in Busbus, Jolo, Sulu," he said.

The plane crash on Sunday was not thought to have been caused by an attack, but the focus now was on rescuing survivors and not investigating the cause, army spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo said.

The plane crashed in an area where troops have long been fighting Islamist militants. A rescue operation is underway to save the remaining people on the plane.