2nd fatality named in light-plane crash in Baguio City
By Frank Cimatu
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 16:40:00 04/10/2011
Filed Under: Philippines - Regions, Accidents (general), Transport, Air and Space Accidents
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—(UPDATE 3) Two persons were killed while four others were injured when a six-seater plane crashed into a forested area in Camp John Hay here on Sunday afternoon.
The second fatality was identified by Baguio police officials and in reports released by the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center as Grace Alvarez. She died while undergoing treatment at the hospital at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday.
Earlier reports received by Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan, commander of the military's Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) based in Tarlac City, identified the first fatality as Mon Aranas but a separate report from the Baguio police at that time, however, identified the first fatality as one Jose George.
Reports from the Office of Civil Defense in the Cordillera said the plane crashed near the horseback-riding area inside Camp John Hay at past 3 p.m., a few minutes after it took off from the Loakan Airport.
The plane, a Piper Aztec (tail number RPC 5140, body number PA34), was on its way to Plaridel, Bulacan, when it crashed, reports said.
Pangilinan said the plane was carrying the group of Col. Reynaldo Garcia, also a pilot.
Lt. Col. Miguel Okol, public information officer of the Philippine Air Force, has informed media that Garcia, who was among those injured, is not in the active service and belongs to the military's reserve force.
Pangilinan said Garcia and four others were taken by rescue teams to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
Among the first people in the crash site who helped the victims were “pony boys,” the men who rent out horses to tourists in Camp John Hay.
They said the plane hit pine trees before it burst into flames and burned a patch of trees in the crash site, which was a few meters from a row of restaurants and a picnic ground in Camp John Hay.—EV Espiritu and Vincent Cabreza of Inquirer Northern Luzon, and Tonette Orejas of Inquirer Central Luzon
