The United States on Monday extended condolences to the Philippines after a C-130 military plane crashed in Sulu on Sunday, killing 50 people.
“On behalf of the United States, I offer our deep condolences to the people of the Philippines regarding the tragic plane crash in which several dozen service members were killed,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with those who were injured and the families of those who were lost,” he added.
Sullivan said the US is “ready to provide” support the Philippines may need in disaster response.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Philippine allies at this difficult time and are ready to provide all appropriate support to the Philippines’ response effort.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has concluded the retrieval operations on the crashed PH Air Force C-130 military plane in Patikul, Sulu, that left 50 soldiers and civilians dead and 53 others injured.
All 96 soldiers aboard the ill-fated military plane are accounted for. Forty-seven military personnel and 3 civilians were killed.
Meanwhile, 49 military personnel and 4 civilians were wounded due to the C-130 military plane crash.
US extends condolences to PH after Sulu plane crash
“So far, na-retrieve na po natin ang lahat ng mga labi ng ating mga sundalo na pumanaw sa aksidente na ito. Kabuuan na 47 ang na-recover natin,” Armed Forces spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo said.
(We have retrieved the bodies of the soldiers who died in this incident. Therefore, we recovered a total of 47 bodies.)
“Bukod po doon sa 47 nating mga sundalo na namatay, meron pa rin pong tatlong sibilyan, hindi po sila pasahero. Kasama po sila sa ground doon sa lugar kung saan nangyari ang crash,” he said.
(Aside from the 47 soldiers who died, we have three civilian fatalities. They were not passengers. They were on the ground on the site where the crash happened.)
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered a “full investigation” into the military plane crash in Sulu over the weekend, which left 50 people dead.
“I have ordered a full investigation to get to the bottom of the C-130 incident, as soon as the rescue and recovery operation is completed,” he said.
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