Davao airport to remain closed until Monday night

Following an emergency landing there by a Cebu Pacific flight Sunday night, the Davao International Airport will remain closed until at least Monday night, its general manager said.

 

General manager Frederick San Felix said their schedule is to keep the airport closed until 8 p.m., partly so investigators can inspect the damaged plane.

 

"Meron kaming revised closure, hanggang mamaya 8 p.m., except military operations," San Felix said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

On Sunday night, a Cebu Pacific flight from Manila made an emergency landing as it veered during a downpour. The affected plane was damaged and obstructed the runway.

 

San Felix said the airport handles at least 80 flights a day.

 

He said Cebu Pacific is diverting Davao-bound flights to General Santos City for the moment.

 

Also, he said the plane could not be removed from the runway for now because of a pending investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

 

San Felix said a CAAP investigator was on the way to Davao from Manila, via General Santos City.

 

Earlier, a separate report by dzBB's Davao affiliate Raul Tolibas said the Cebu Pacific plane that made an emergency landing had not yet been cleared from the runway.

 

Cebu Pacific, in a statement posted on its Twitter account, had said its flight 5J-971 (Manila to Davao) made an emergency landing after veering to the right during a heavy downpour at the Davao airport Sunday night.

 

It said all 165 passengers were "safely shuttled to the airport terminal and their needs are being taken care of." 

CEB Advisory as of 10pm: Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J 971 (Manila-Davao) landed safely but veered off to the (cont) tl.gd/n_1rkk48e

— Cebu Pacific Air (@CebuPacificAir) June 2, 2013

 

Canceled flights

 

Cebu Pacific said several flights were canceled, including:

 

 

The Department of Transportation and Communications on Monday morning said more flights were canceled due to runway obstruction:

These flights include:

 

 

 —KG, GMA News