US military plane still grounded in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY — American mechanics have been rushing to fix a damaged engine of the US MC-17 Globemaster III cargo plane grounded for two days at the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA), a US army information officer said.

The mammoth plane carrying 10 American soldiers and logistics equipment has been stranded after one of its four turbo engines caught fire minutes after it landed at the ZIA from Okinawa, Japan.

M/Sgt. Michael Farris, US Balikatan 02-01 information officer, said the C-17 plane landed safely with its crew and cargo intact after one of its engines malfunctioned.

"The crew are safe, the plane is safe, and the cargo were safe as it parked at its parking spot," Farris said. He declined to comment if hostile fire caused the engine trouble.

As the aircraft touched down Saturday, television cameras caught its far right engine emitting split-second bursts of flame, followed by sparks and some smoke. It maneuvered normally into a parking area where it unloaded crates and a few US soldiers.

Farris said a maintenance crew was looking at it right now to determine what caused the split-second bursts of flame. "They will fix it quickly if they can and the plane will depart," he said.

"No, we cannot call it a security nightmare; the crew are professional, they know what to do in a situation like that," Farris added.

Security measures have been tightened for the giant aircraft, but Farris said this was the usual security implementation for any of its aircraft even in the United States.

"Anywhere in the world, when there are US aircraft there is security. It’s no different in Zamboanga," he said.

Meanwhile, another 12 US soldiers arrived yesterday aboard an MC-130 operation plane bringing with them logistics equipment and two long tubes that looked like cannon barrels.

The additional troops came from Kadena, Okinawa, bringing the total number of US troops in this city to 300.

At least 660 American soldiers are expected for the war games, 160 of them to be deployed in the potential powder keg of nearby Basilan island where the Abu Sayyaf continue to hold three hostages.

US C-17 and C-130 cargo plans have been making almost daily flights to Zamboanga, bringing troops and equipment for the Balikatan exercises.

Most of the American troops have so far been restricted to a military camp and a nearby air base for security reasons, as well to be briefed on "cultural sensitivities."