Refurbished C-130 shuttles home soldiers for Christmas break

HOMEWARD BOUND For the first time since the ill-fated C-130 crash in July, a newly acquired C-130 military craft from Portugal landed at Jolo Airport in Sulu on Friday to transport more than 60 personnel to Manila, from where they will head home for the Christmas break. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES WESTERN MINDANAO COMMAND

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — For the first time after the tragic air crash of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules in July, a newly repaired cargo aircraft from Portugal landed at Jolo Airport in Sulu province on Friday, Dec. 10, to bring soldiers to Manila for their Christmas break.

Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command, said the newly repaired Lockheed, with tail number 5011, brought 65 military personnel, three of their dependents and two civilians to Manila, from where they would head home for the soldiers’ first Yuletide break that would start on Dec. 13.

“This is our simple way of honoring the selfless service of our comrades in arms,” Rosario said. “By sending them home safely to spend the holiday season with their families, we boost their morale. We also help them financially by providing them with free transportation,” he added.

The successful landing of the Lockheed at the airport in the provincial capital Jolo was the first since the July 4 air crash that killed 50 soldiers and three civilians when the military aircraft overshot the runway of the same airport and crash-landed in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul town, near the border with Jolo.

Moving forward

Rosario said the aircraft had been acquired from Portugal before it was repaired here in the country.

“The successful landing of the aircraft today signifies that we are ready to move forward,” said Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu.

“We hope that this momentous event will finally heal us from the trauma that we had due to the [July 4] accident,” he added.

The ill-fated flight of Lockheed C-130 Hercules with tail number 5125 in July has been considered one of the most tragic aviation accidents in Philippine military history.

To date, the Philippine Air Force has one active Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft while two others are under maintenance. The aircraft from Portugal is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft used for troop and cargo transport.