Private Jet with Government Officials Skids Off Tacloban Runway

A private jet carrying fifteen top government officials skidded off the Tacloban Airport runway after attempting to take-off shortly after 1:00pm on Saturday, following the visit of Pope Francis. According to witnesses, the aircraft overshot the runway due to strong winds.

Image Source: ANC News Channel

The aircraft was carrying Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Undersecretary Manny Bautista, Undersecretary Felizardo Serapio, Secretary Sonny Coloma, along with either other staff members and three crew. 

According to Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, the government officials were on hand to support the visit of Pope Francis. "The aforementioned officials were on hand in Tacloban to ensure that the activities of Pope Francis in Tacloban and Palo would go as planned," said Lacierda. "All fifteen passengers and crew members are all safe and suffered no injuries. The families of those on board have also been assured that their loved ones are safe."

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has been directed by President Aquino to investigate the incident and to identify if the cause was weather related or due to other circumstances. Congresswoman Josephine Veronique Lacson-Noel, another passenger on the aircraft, informed ABS-CBN in an interview that one of the aircraft's tires had blown up as it was about to take off.

The Bombardier aircraft remained on an area of grass at the end of the Tacloban Airport runway, preventing other private aircraft from taking off as fire trucks were blocking the runway. The incident occurred less than one hour after Pope Francis departed the airport aboard a Philippine Airlines A320-200 aircraft. 

According to Eastern Visayas Police Director Asher Dolina, the pilot of the Bombardier Global Express attempted to abort the take-off but lost control due to the bad weather, resulting in the aircraft skidding off the runway. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion, which is presumed to have come from one of the aircraft's tires.