Remains of soldiers killed in C-130 crash in Sulu brought to Zamboanga City

The remains of several soldiers killed in the crash of a C-130 transport plane in Patikul town, Sulu, on Sunday were brought to Zamboanga City.

The remains were at the Tangan Gym inside the Naval Forces Western Mindanao. The coffins of the fallen soldiers were wrapped in the Philippine flag.

The remains of the other soldiers were in other funeral homes in the city while awaiting the DNA test results for their identities.

Some of them could hardly be identified because of the wounds sustained by the fall and explosion of the C-130.

This Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte honored the fallen soldiers during his visit to the city.

The President also visited the wounded soldiers at Camp Navarro General Hospital.

He promised that its administration would prioritize providing additional benefits to soldiers stationed in Mindanao.

The soldiers were supposed to serve as additional forces of the 11th Infantry Division, so they were sent to Sulu.

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.

Remains of soldiers killed in C-130 crash in Sulu brought to Zamboanga City

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.

The military plane “missed the runway while trying to regain power,” AFP chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana earlier said.

“A number of soldiers were seen jumping out of the aircraft before it hit the ground, sparing them from the explosion caused by the crash,” the Joint Task Force Sulu said in a statement.

With tail number 5125, the aircraft took off from Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base to Lumbia Airport and subsequently ferried personnel to Jolo, Philippine Air Force Spokesman Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano earlier said.

“Sila po ay nakatakdang magsilibi sa ilalim ng 11th Infantry Division na nakadeploy sa Sulu, magiging augmentation sana sila ng puwersa,” Arevalo said.