Cargo plane makes emergency landing

MANILA, Philippines — A cargo plane made an emergency landing at the Sangley Point Airport in Cavite after one of its landing gear malfunctioned as it was about to touch down in Palawan on Sunday afternoon.

The fixed-wing ATR BE58 returned to the Sangley Point Airport, where it earlier took off for Cuyo Island in Palawan, according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) spokesman Eric Apolonio.

Capt. Jesse Bihasa and his co-pilot James Patrick Bala landed the plane safely on a grassy portion of the Sangley runway, with an ambulance and fire trucks tailing behind.

Reports said the plane left Sangley Point at around 4 p.m. to pick up fish in Cuyo.

As the plane was about to touch down, Bihasa noticed that the right landing gear was not responding. He immediately informed the Palawan control tower that they had to return to Sangley Point for an emergency landing.

Apolonio said the Sangley airport is equipped with facilities for an emergency landing.

The Aircraft Accident and Inquiry Board of the CAAP is investigating the incident.