Voice recording of Xiamen Air incident stirs probe

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has ordered an investigation into a voice recording circulating on the internet supposedly between the Manila traffic air controller and the pilot of a Xiamen plan that skidded off the runway of the airport.

The recording was played during the hearing of the Senate committee on public services being chaired by Senator Grace Poe.

But after listening to the recording, CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco immediately disowned it and suspected that it came from a fligh tracker called “Flightradar 24.”

“Madam chair, ito hong info na ito, hindi galing sa CAAP ito,” Sydiongco said, responding to Poe.

“Unang-una ang suspetsa namin ito ito ay galing sa Flightradar 24 and this is an irresponsible reproduction of what really happened,” he added.

“You’re saying this is not an authentic recording…” Poe asked.

“Yes, Madam chair, because the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder are still in Singapore right now and being analyzed,” Sydiongco said.

While they have a recording of the conversation between the pilot and the air traffic controller, the official refused to say if they were also the same people in the recording.

Pressed by Poe to at least confirm if the one in the recording was that of the traffic controller, Sydiongco said: “Ito po ay pinaiimbestiahan namin ngayon.”

Poe’s committee is probing the August 16 incident involving a Xiamen plane that skidded off the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. /cbb