Plane returns to Naia after tire comes off

A Masbate-bound Philippine Airlines (PAL) Express aircraft was forced to turn back to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) after it lost one of its tires on takeoff yesterday morning.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap), the pilot was unaware that his plane was missing a wheel until a safety patrol unit of the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) stumbled upon the tire on the runway.

As a result, PAL Express flight 2P 2021 was forced to return to the airport minutes after it took off.

Safe landing

The Caap said that despite its missing wheel, the aircraft—which had 32 passengers bound for the Moises R. Espinosa Airport in Masbate City—safely landed at 7:19 a.m.

The passengers were transferred to a different PAL Express flight which left three hours later.

Meanwhile, an aircraft departing for Hong Kong made an emergency landing on Tuesday morning at Naia because of an ailing 22-year-old American passenger.

Cathay Pacific flight CX 912 left Terminal 3 at 9:04 a.m. and was in midflight when the foreigner, who was suffering from colon cancer, complained of severe abdominal pain.

The Miaa said the pilot immediately informed the Manila tower that it would be making an emergency landing.

When the plane touched down at 10:09 a.m., a medical team brought the American passenger to San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City.