Turkey extends condolences to Philippines over plane crash

ANKARA/MANILA

Turkey on July 4 extended condolences to the Philippines over the loss of lives in a military plane crash.

"We learned with great sorrow that a Philippine Air Force plane crashed on 4 July 2021 in the Jolo island of the Sulu province," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We share the sorrow of the friendly people and Government of the Philippines and extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," the statement added.

Philippine authorities ordered on July 5 an investigation into the crash of an Air Force plane that overshot a runway killing 47 soldiers on board, three civilians on the ground and injuring dozens.

Some passengers on the Lockheed C-130 jumped free seconds before the plane crashed and burst into flames on the weekend, officials cited witnesses as saying.

The aircraft, carrying recently graduated troops bound for counter-insurgency operations, had been trying to land at Jolo airport in southern Sulu province.

All 96 passengers on board had been accounted for, with 49 military personnel injured as well as four civilians on the ground, military spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo said.

In a news conference, Arevalo said the plane was in "very good condition" and had 11,000 flying hours remaining before its next maintenance was due.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered an investigation into the country's worst military air disaster in nearly 30 years.