A Philippine military transport plane carrying troops crashed off the runway while landing in the southern part of the country today. 45 people have been confirmed dead and 49 others have been rescued and sent for medical treatment.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said a C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed while landing in Sulu province and Jolo Island today, with 96 members on board, most of whom were military personnel.
The military said at least 42 soldiers and three civilians on the ground have been killed, 49 people were taken to the hospital and the whereabouts of five people remain unknown. Other witnesses said several soldiers were seen jumping out of the plane before it hit the ground to avoid being affected by the explosion caused by the crash.
The soldiers on board were mostly recruits fresh out of basic military training and were assigned to fight local terrorism on Hulu Island. The Philippine government has been fighting militants Abu Sayyaf in the predominantly Muslim province of Sulu for several decades.
Philippine military spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said there was no sign of an attack on the plane, but is still focused on rescue and treatment efforts, the cause of the crash has not yet begun to investigate.
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