Death toll from military plane crash in Philippines rises to 50

A Hercules C-130 transport plane was carrying 96 people when it missed the runway while trying to land in sunny weather on Jolo island in Sulu province on Sunday.

The accident killed 47 military personnel and three civilian residents, and injured 53 others including 49 soldiers, said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo.

The aircraft took off from Villamor Air Base in Pasay and headed to Lumbia Airfield in Cagayan de Oro. From Cagayan de Oro, the plane transported personnel to Jolo, Sulu. At 11:30 (UTC+8), the plane crashed while attempting to land in Jolo Airport. The plane overshot the runway, crashing in a quarry in a lightly populated area in the nearby town of Patikul, and caught fire upon crashing.

At the time of the crash, there were 96 passengers; including 3 pilots, 5 other crew members, and 84 Philippine Army personnel. (ILKHA)