Cebu Pacific plane overshoots runway at Iloilo Airport

A Cebu Pacific aircraft carrying 180 passengers overshot while taxiing the runway of the Iloilo International Airport late Friday night.

The airline, in a statement, said an incident occurred involving Flight 5J 461 upon landing at the airport at 11:15 p.m. The A320 aircraft arrived from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“The crew initiated emergency evacuation. All passengers are accounted for and are safe. They are being attended to by airport personnel,” the statement added. It did not give additional details.

One of the passengers, Loui Latoza, told ABS-CBN News that the aircraft failed to stop after it landed at the Iloilo International Airport.

“Yung pilot nag-advise na mag-prepare for landing. Nagulat lang kami lahat kasi parang ang lakas ng bagsak namin. It was a very unusual landing kasi sunod sunod na parang dumaan ka sa rough road hanggang sa masubsob na kami nang biglang preno,” she said.

(The pilot advised us to prepare for landing. We were all shocked because the impact was so strong. It was a very unusual landing because it felt like going through a rough road until we were propelled forward when they suddenly stepped on the brakes.)

Latoza said the passengers stayed inside the aircraft for at least 20 minutes while waiting for assistance from airport personnel until everyone was rescued using a slide.

“We were all praises kasi buhay kami lahat. Hindi maiiwasan na may magra-rant, but the airline crew handled it well. They prioritized the elderly and children,” she said when asked of the experience, which she considers as a second chance at life.

The passengers, Latoza said, were also immediately given blankets, food, and water.

She came from a vacation in Hong Kong with her friends. She said their baggage will be distributed today, Saturday.

Another passenger told ABS-CBN News that their flight was delayed.

They were supposed to depart at 8:35 p.m, but only left NAIA 3 past 10 p.m. The passenger requested not to be identified.

Here’s a list of cancelled flights due to the incident:

CEBU PACIFIC AIR

Oct. 14, 2017
-5J 468 Iloilo-Manila
-5J 449/450 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 451/452 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 453/454 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 721/720 Iloilo-Davao-Iloilo
-5J 255/256 Iloilo-Singapore-Iloilo
-DG 6408/6409 Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu
-5J 447/448 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 467 Manila-Iloilo
-5J 457/458 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 247/248 Iloilo-General Santos-Iloilo
-5J 165 Iloilo-Cebu

Oct. 15, 2017
-5J 451/452 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 453/454 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 457/458 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
-5J 468 Iloilo-Manila
-5J 348/347 Davao-Iloilo-Davao
-DG 6408/6409 Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
PR 2139/2140 Manila/Iloilo/Manila
PR 2141/2142 Manila/Iloilo/Manila
PR 2143/2144 Manila/Iloilo/Manila
PR 2380/2381 Cebu/Iloilo/Cebu