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The military official said that a Philippine Air Force C-130 plane carrying an army crashed in the southern provinces after missing the runway on Sunday. At least 40 people on board were rescued from the burning wreckage.
The Chief of Staff General Ciirito Sobejana did not immediately state how many people were on the plane and whether there were any casualties after the plane crashed shortly before noon when it landed in Bangal Village, a mountain town in the Patikul Mountains of Sulu Province.
Sobejana said the plane was transporting troops from the southern city of Cagayan de Oro. For decades, government forces have been fighting Abu Sayyaf militants in the predominantly Muslim province of Sulu.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Sobejana told reporters. “The plane missed the runway. It tried to regain power but failed and crashed.”
Sobejana said that at least 40 people on board were taken to the hospital and the troops were trying to rescue the rest.
It is unclear what caused the crash.
The airport in Jolo, the main town of Sulu, is only a few kilometers away from the mountainous area where the army fought Abu Sayyaf. Some militants allied with the Islamic State group.
The United States and the Philippines separately blacklisted Abu Sayyaf for bombings, kidnapping and beheading activities for extortion. Over the years, the government’s offensive has greatly weakened it, but it remains a threat.
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