A giant crane tries to lift the grounded Cebu Pacific Airbus from the mud off the runway at Davao International Airport on Tuesday. By nightfall, workers had pulled the plane out and towed it out of the runway. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—A Navy reservist who served as a “guiding voice” when a Cebu Pacific plane overshot the runway at Davao International Airport received an award from the Philippine Navy Friday afternoon for his “commendable conduct.”
Ensign Marlon Bo was given the Military Commendation Medal by Captain Promitivo Gopo, chief of Naval Reserve Command at Navrescom Headquarters in Intramuros, Manila, the Philippine Navy said in a statement.
Bo, a graduate of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in 2003 and was also one of the passengers of the ill-fated airplane, assisted the “passengers in a systematic, secure and prompt disembarkation from the plane.”
“Applying his knowledge and training in emergency evacuation procedure, Ensign Bo with unreserved concern for the safety of his fellow passengers, took the initiative and managed to avert stampede and prevent them from further hurting themselves,” part of the award citation read.
“Ensign Bo was able to organize and assist the passengers in a systematic, secure and prompt disembarkation from the plane during the said emergency situation. Unmindful of his own personal safety, Ensign Bo did all these until the last passenger had safely disembarked,” it said.
None of the 165 passengers was injured, but several complained about the slow response of Cebu Pacific’s pilots and crew. The rough landing in stormy weather Sunday evening forced the closure of the Davao International Airport in Davao City while the Airbus A320-200 remained stuck on the runway.
“Everyone panicked. Women and children were screaming,” Percival Jacones told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He said the cabin crew appeared stunned and it took 15 minutes before the captain came out of the cockpit to address the passengers
Nino Alinsub, who was also aboard the flight, recalled in his Facebook account how Bo encouraged passengers to remain calm.
“It took the courage of one person, whom we only know as Captain Bok from the Philippine Navy, to stand up and calm everyone down. He knew what he was doing, and he was in control when even the cabin crew looked like they were really at a loss on what to do,” Alinsub said.
“Captain Bok gave clear instructions for everyone to sit down, so that we could leave row by row to prevent the plane from tilting over. He was the clear definition of a “guiding voice,” he said.
Civil Aviation Authority Deputy Director General John Andrews said pilot error probably caused the accident. With Associated Press