At least 50 people were killed when a Philippine Air Force plane carrying 96 people crashed in the country's south on Sunday, said a military official.
In a statement, Philippine Armed Forces Spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo said Monday that 47 of those killed were military personnel while the other three were civilians.
A Philippine Air Force plane with 85 soldiers aboard crashed on Sunday, officials said. At least 31 people were killed, but the toll could climb. https://t.co/KmHoeLwIsP
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Meanwhile, the Department of National Defense said in a statement that 49 military personnel and four civilians were undergoing treatment for injuries.
The Philippine Air Force C-130 aircraft crashed in Patikul, Sulu province at 11.30 a.m. (0330GMT), according to the Philippine News Agency.
The military statement said the aircraft was carrying troops from Col. Jose Villamor Air Base in Pasay City en route to Lumbia Airfield in Cagayan de Oro, then missed the runway while trying to land at Jolo Airport.
The military presence in the southern Philippines is quite dominant to combat militant groups in the area, including the kidnap-for-ransom group Abu Sayyaf.
A Philippine air force aircraft carrying combat troops assigned to fight Muslim militants crashed and exploded while landing in the south Sunday, killing at least 42 army soldiers on board and three civilians on the ground https://t.co/fp4K7WJzv5 (via AP)
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This article has been adapted from its original source.
