AFP: C-130 in Sulu crash not brand new but in very good condition

The C-130 aircraft with tail number 5125 that crashed in Sulu on Sunday and killed 50 people was not brand new but was in a very good condition, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Monday.

In a press conference, AFP spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo said that C-130 - 5125 had around 11,000 flying hours remaining before its maintenance when the incident occurred.

“The aircraft is not brand new but it is in very good condition. As a matter of fact, when it was delivered to AFP, it has more than 11,000 flying hours remaining,” he said.

“And when the accident happened, it still has around 11,000 flying hours remaining before the next maintenance of this aircraft,” Arevalo added.

C-130 – 5125 arrived in the country on January 29 and was even welcomed by Air Force officials in a ceremony at the Base Operations, Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay. It was one of the two C-130H aircraft granted by the United States government.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has already ordered a "full investigation" into the crash, considered one of the worst in recent Philippine military history.

“I have ordered a full investigation to get to the bottom of the C-130 incident, as soon as the rescue and recovery operation is completed,” Lorenzana said.

C-130 - 5125 took off from Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday and was about to land in Jolo port in Sulu when it crashed at 11:30 a.m.

According to Joint Task Force Sulu, the aircraft crashed in Sitio Amman in Barangay Bangkal.

Some of the passengers, the task force said, were new Philippine Army privates.

Arevalo said at present they are not considering foul play as reason behind the crash.

“At the moment, looking at the circumstances that we have at hand and the information that we know, we are ruling out any foul play,” he told CNN Philippines earlier in the day.

Inventory

Currently, the Philippines has four C-130 aircraft, including the 5125. One will be grounded following the crash, according to Arevalo

Two of the total C-130 aircraft are undergoing maintenance in Portugal and one of these will arrive in the country this July.

Aside from the four C-130  already acquired, one more similar aircraft is set to arrive in the country, Arevalo said.

The Philippine Air Force said the C-130 aircraft will provide enhanced capability in terms of heavy airlift missions to support movement of troops and cargoes during security, humanitarian, and disaster response operations. —KBK, GMA New