Philippines military plane crash kills at least 17 but many survive

At least 17 people have been killed in a military plane crash in the southern Philippines, but 40 were pulled alive from the burning wreckage.

The military transport aircraft was carrying 92 people, mostly troops, when it overshot the runway on Jolo island.

Survivors were taken to a nearby military hospital. Seventeen bodies were found at the crash site.

A large ball of black smoke was seen above the wreckage of the plane, a Lockheed C130 Hercules.

The state news agency carried pictures of the site showing burning debris in a wooded area close to a number of buildings.

Site of military transporter plane crash in the Philippines, 4 July 2021

Site of military transporter plane crash in the Philippines, 4 July 2021

The plane, which came down at 11:30 local time (03:30 GMT) a few kilometres from the town of Jolo, was carrying troops from Cagayan de Oro, on the southern island of Mindanao.

“It missed the runway, trying to regain power but it didn’t make it,” armed forces chief Gen Sobejana told reporters.

Site of military transporter plane crash in the Philippines, 4 July 2021

Site of military transporter plane crash in the Philippines, 4 July 2021

The soldiers were part of the military’s stepped-up presence in the southern Philippines to combat Islamist militants such as the Abu Sayyaf group.

Officials said there was no sign that the aircraft had been attacked, and an investigation would start once the rescue operation was complete.

Many of those on board had only recently completed basic military training, AFP reports.

The plane, previously in service with the US Air Force, was handed to the Philippines in January. It was the first of two used Hercules to be delivered by the US under a defence co-operation scheme.

The aircraft first flew in 1988, according to Aviation Safety Network.

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