Black box found in wreckage of Philippines military plane as death toll rises to 52 – World News
The black box from a military plane which crashed and exploded into flames, killing more than 50 people, has been recovered.
Philippine authorities have retrieved the equipment from the Air Force plane that crashed in the southern Philippines at the weekend, Military Chief Cirilito Sobejana said.
The pilot in command, who had several years of experience flying a C-130 aircraft, was among those who died in the crash on Jolo island.
The military chief said a black box was retrieved on Monday and should enable investigators to listen to the conversations of the pilots and crew before the plane crashed.
“I spoke to the survivors and they said the plane bounced two to three times and zig-zagged.
(Image: Joint Task Force-Sulu/AFP via Ge)
“The pilot tried to regain power because he wanted to lift the plane but it was too late. The right wing hit a tree,” Sobejana said.
He said no one jumped from the aircraft before it crashed.
There had been earlier accounts from witnesses that some passengers had tried to leap to safety before the aircraft struck the ground.
He said the front of the aircraft was sliced open and some of the soldiers took advantage of the opening to escape.
But those who were unconscious were unable to get out and the plane burst into flames.
(Image: JOINT TASK FORCE SULU-ARMED FORC/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
The Lockheed C-130 transport aircraft was carrying troops bound for counter-insurgency operations in the southern Philippines before it crashed with 96 aboard.
The death toll rose on Monday to 52, including three civilians on the ground, after two of the 49 soldiers hurt in the crash succumbed to their injuries, the defence ministry said.
Military spokesman Edgard Arevalo said the plane was in “very good condition” and had 11,000 flying hours remaining before its next maintenance was due.
Pictures from the horrifying scene on Sunday morning showed bright orange flames and a thick plume of grey smoke pouring out of the wreckage of the aircraft.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Dramatic video footage at the scene showed the smoke rising as commotion and coughing could be heard in the background.
Military chief Cirilito Sobejana said earlier that the plane had “missed the runway trying to regain power”.
The military said the soldiers aboard had the rank of private and were being deployed to their battalions.
The army in the sprawling Philippine archipelago has been fighting a long war against Islamist militants from Abu Sayyaf and other factions.
Sobejana said the plane had crashed a few kilometres from Jolo airport at 11:30 a.m (0330 GMT) after flying about 300 miles from Laguindingan.
