Flight crew makes false distress call at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — A distress call by the crew aboard a Saudia Airlines flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia which landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday afternoon turned out to be a false alarm.

Ed Monreal, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, dispelled earlier reports that the flight was possibly hijacked or under threat, which forced authorities to isolate the airplane on Runway 6 of NAIA Terminal 1.

Monreal said in a televised press conference that the crew of Saudia flight 872 mistakenly pressed the alarm button, which notified security personnel at the airport.

Passenger Princess Habibah Sarip, who recounted the incident on her Facebook account, said airport authorities tightened security for passengers who came from the Hajj pilgrimage.

Initial reports said a police anti-hijacking unit was deployed in the area to check on the aircraft which appeared to be in isolation on the runway.

Passengers put 'on hold'

Sarip said passengers were merely put "on hold" on the aircraft, which landed at NAIA due to Indonesian nationals suspected to be carrying Philippine passports.

"Government to prove Hajj anomalies on Indonesian nationals using Philippine passports," she said.

She added that authorities conducted a tight security protocol in response to the incident.

Lavi Macabando, another passenger, told ANC in a phone patch interview that the situation on board was normal despite the delay in disembarkation.

According to flight tracker site FlightStats, the Boeing 777-300 Saudia aircraft left King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah at 11:17 p.m. on Monday. It arrived at the NAIA runway at 2:39 p.m. on Tuesday. — Camille Diola

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