A Nomad plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) crashed in a subdivision in Cotabato City late Thursday morning killing 9 people and injuring one.
Lt. Col. Gerardo Zamudio, PAF spokesman, confirmed to ABS-CBN News that Maj. Gen. Mario 'Butch' Lacson, commander of the PAF's 3rd Air Division in Zamboanga City, and 7 other personnel on the plane, were killed in the crash.
The 7 military personnel killed were: Maj. Tacuboy, Lt. Valdez, Lt. Lepae, Sgt. Lamera, Sgt. Mejia, Capt. Ordonio, and Sgt. Guson. Their complete names were unavailable, as of posting time.
Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema reported to ABS-CBN News that a civilian on the ground was also killed in the crash.
Another civilian was also reportedly injured.
Brig. Gen. Carlix Donila, wing commander of the 530th Air Base Wiing said the pilot of the Nomad plane was able to contact tower minutes before the plane crashed.
The pilot said they were experiencing power loss.
Donila says they are considering the possible angle that the Nomad plane experienced a mechanical failure which led to the crash.
Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the military's Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), said the Nomad plane crashed at around 11:30 a.m. in Virgo Subdivision in Rosary Heights 9.
Ferrer said Lacson and other PAF officials attended a meeting at the EastMinCom headquarters in Davao City on Wednesday.
9 killed in Air Force plane crash in Cotabato | ABS-CBN News Online Beta