Senate resumes probe on Xiamen Air accident

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on public services will resume today its inquiry into the accident involving a Xiamen Airlines plane last month that paralyzed the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for two days.

The panel, chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, aims to wrap up the investigation soon even as the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is reviewing the data retrieved from the black boxes of Xiamen Airlines flight MF 8667, which skidded off the NAIA runway on Aug. 16.

The incident affected over 250,000 passengers. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is demanding at least P33 million in damages.

During the Senate hearing on Aug. 29, several lapses were cited by authorities, including delays in securing high-capacity cranes, failing to provide food for the stranded passengers and infrequent live trainings to respond to such incidents.

Officials of Xiamen Airlines, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and MIAA general manager Ed Monreal have apologized for the incident.

Poe and Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, vice chairman of the committee, grilled Tugade, Monreal and other aviation officials on the preparedness of airport authorities to deal with such incidents.

It took two cranes — one 500-ton and a 200-ton — borrowed from a private company, to lift the damaged Boeing 737 jet from the runway and place it on a flat-bed truck 36 hours after it hit the runway.

Meanwhile, the MIAA will launch today two newly built Rapid Exit Taxiways (RETs) at the NAIA to help ease air traffic.

Tugade, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and CAAP chief Jim Sydiongco are expected to attend the event.

Monreal said the RETs would help reduce traffic congestion and flight delays. – Rudy Santos