Flying the dangerous skies

-Witnesses said there was a loud burst as smoke belched from the plane's tail. Then Air Philippines Flight 541 made a final unsteady descent, exploding as it crashed into a coconut plantation on the resort island of Samal in Mindanao yesterday morning. The country's worst aviation disaster killed all 131 people on board the Davao-bound flight from Manila. Rescuers recovered charred body parts from the smoldering plane at the crash site in the village of San Isidro.

The Holy Wednesday disaster claimed more lives than the crash two years ago of a Cebu Pacific jet which left 104 people dead. And the disaster occurred just a week after an overloaded ferry capsized off Jolo. Until yesterday, bodies were being pulled out of the sea, bringing the death toll to 143. Just days after this sea tragedy, another ferry sank off Batangas. Fortunately, all passengers were rescued.

President Estrada said yesterday's air disaster was an act of God. Davao residents noted that there was poor visibility at the airport, where another plane that had arrived reportedly forced Flight 541 to abort its landing and circle the area. The disaster revives worries about the safety of traveling in this archipelago. On land, buses and jeepneys keep colliding or plunging into ravines, killing scores of people every year. The reckless driving has been blamed on poorly maintained vehicles, and drivers who keep themselves awake for long trips by taking shabu. On water, ferries keep sinking or catching fire. And on air, we've seen what happened to Flight 541.

To be fair, other countries including the United States have their share of aviation disasters. The international aviation industry cannot give a 100 percent guarantee of safety even for the best maintained aircraft. There are many factors that come into play in a plane crash. A passenger takes a risk each time he boards a plane, whether it's a small aircraft or a jumbo jet.

The public, however, will appreciate some reassurance that aviation officials are doing their best to make air transportation safe. As Filipinos embark on their annual exodus to the provinces this week, people need to be reassured that it is relatively safe to travel in this country -- whether by land, sea or air.