Cargo plane collapses in NAIA

MANILA, Philippines - A light plane loaded with live fish collapsed when it touched down at a Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) runway yesterday morning.

The Piper Aztec twin-engine turbo plane – which was carrying live fish from Roxas, Palawan bound for high-end restaurants in Metro Manila – landed smoothly but the nose landing gear retracted after a few seconds, NAIA Terminal 1 manager Alvin Candelaria said.

The plane skidded 100 meters before stopping in the middle of the runway, causing 13 international and domestic flights to be delayed until the plane was towed away.

Candelaria said pilot Capt. Jun Sanchez and co-pilot Joramel Bautista were unhurt.

Fire and rescue teams from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) rushed to the crash site to spray chemical foam as a preventive measure.