By John Rey Saavedra
CEBU CITY – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) confirmed that a Cebu Pacific plane encountered landing gear issues but returned safely to the Cebu airport on Saturday morning.
All 163 passengers, including an infant, and crew were safe.
In an advisory, MCIAA said Cebu Pacific flight 5J 588 departed at 4:41 a.m. for Manila when the pilot announced a mechanical issue that prompted the decision to turn the aircraft for an emergency landing back at the airport of origin.
“MCIAA and its partner agencies promptly coordinated with Cebu Pacific and relevant authorities to ensure the safety of the passengers, crew and airport operations, ensuring that all protocols were followed,” airport authorities said in a statement.
All passengers were taken care of and transferred to the replacement aircraft, which departed 7:09 a.m. and safely landed in Manila at 8:04 a.m.
“The safety and security of all passengers and personnel remain our top priority, and we extend our gratitude to all involved for their swift response,” it added.
Production designer and filmmaker Remton Zuasola, one of the passengers, commended the flight crew.
“CebuPac really handled this incident well and I congratulate the pilots for doing such a brave job of landing everyone to safety,” Zuasola posted. (PNA)
