Philippines plane crash: 17 dead, 40 rescued in a military plane carrying 92 passengers

According to officials, at least 17 people were killed and 40 were injured when a Philippine military plane transporting troops crashed after missing a runway in the country's south.

The crash killed 92 persons, most of them were army personnel, as the C-130 Hercules cargo plane attempted to land on Jolo island in Sulu province about midday, according to Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a statement.

"So far, 40 wounded and injured people have been rescued, and 17 bodies have been recovered," Lorenzana stated.

Photos captured by Pondohan TV, a local media outlet, and posted on their Facebook page showed the plane's shattered body immersed in flames. A column of dense black smoke soared above the residences near the crash scene.

The aircraft was transporting troops from Cagayan de Oro on the southern island of Mindanao when it "missed the runway" as it attempted to land on Jolo, according to Armed Forces Chief General Cirilito Sobejana.

He informed local media that the jet tried to "regain power but didn't make it," and that the event was "extremely tragic."

"Responders are on the scene now, and we're hoping to preserve additional lives," Sobejana said. Sobejana informed the 40 rescued were being treated at the nearby 11th Infantry Division hospital.

Lieutenant Colonel Maynard Mariano, an Air Force spokesperson, said the reason for the crash would be probed. "Right now, we're in rescue mode," said Mariano.

Many of the passengers had just completed basic military training and were being sent to the troubled island as part of a joint task force combatting terrorism in the Muslim-majority territory.

The military maintains a strong presence in the southern Philippines, where terrorist organisations such as the kidnap-for-ransom outfit Abu Sayyaf operate. The mainstay of the air force, C-130 aircraft, transport troops and supplies. They are also frequently used to provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Last month, a Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a nighttime training mission, killing all six people on board.

Reportedly, three pilots and three airmen were killed when their S70-i crashed in the Crow Valley practice range north of Manila, forcing the entire fleet to be grounded.

The government ordered 16 of the multi-role aircraft from a Polish company that manufactured them under licence from Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky subsidiary.