Chartered plane makes emergency landing at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines - An American-registered aircraft flying from Tokyo to Singapore made an emergency landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) yesterday.

Carrying 21 passengers, the chartered Air Transport International Douglas DC-8-70 was flying over Philippine airspace when the crew reported a fire in the cargo compartment.

However, Manila International Airport Authority general manager Jose Honrado said fire inspectors found no trace of fire, heat or smoke in the aircraft.

Alex Cariaga, Manila domestic passenger terminal manager, said the control tower received the distress call at 8:50 a.m. The aircraft landed safely at NAIA about 25 minutes later.

Manila Control Tower received a radio message from the pilot, Capt. Michael Martino requesting permission to land at the NAIA, he added.

The request to land was immediately granted and emergency medical, fire and rescue teams dispatched to the runway to wait for the plane, Cariaga said.

The passengers were evacuated to Boarding Gate 17 until the plane was cleared by NAIA authorities. The plane took off at around 2:05 p.m.