DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A Philippine Airlines plane made an emergency landing at the international airport here yesterday afternoon.
Elenita Binay, wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay, was among the passengers of PAL flight PR1814.
Southern Mindanao Regional Police director Chief Supt. Wendy Rosario told The STAR that the plane bound for Manila returned to the Davao airport after smoke came out of the aircraft’s cargo hold.
Personnel from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) as well as medical teams from the Davao City Emergency Central 911 Center were on standby when the Airbus A321-231 landed at around 1:34 p.m.
Rosario said none of the 131 passengers and crew of the aircraft were hurt during the landing.
Binay came from General Santos City and Malita, Davao del Sur the day before. She stayed overnight in Davao City.
Binay said the passengers noticed smoke coming out from the rear of the cargo compartment.
In a statement, PAL said flight PR 1814 which departed Davao City Airport at 1:07 p.m. had to go back to Davao after the pilots noticed the smoke warning was activated.
The return to Davao was in compliance with standard safety procedures.
Based on the fire marshal’s report, CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said in a telephone interview that no smoke was detected from the aircraft.
While no smoke was detected, the aircraft was removed from the main terminal and parked in an isolated area for technical evaluation and assessment.
Apolonio said the cause of the activated cargo smoke warning has yet to be determined.
“CAAP investigators are on site to investigate the incident,” he said.
PAL said the affected passengers would be accommodated on the next available flights.– With Louella Desiderio