The burning wreck of a Philippine military plane that crashed in Jolo, Sulu province on July 4, 2021.

At least 29 people have died after a Philippine Air Force plane crashed in the southern Philippines on Sunday, officials said, as rescue and recovery operations continue amid the country’s worst military air disaster in decades.The C-130 military plane was transporting troops from Cagayan de Oro, in Mindanao,Sneakers2090 , to Sulu province when it missed the runway on the island of Jolo, CNN affiliate CNN Philippines reported, citing Armed Forces Chief Cirilito Sobejana.

Smoke billows from the crash site in Patikul village, Jolo in the southern Philippines on July 4, 2021.

The plane, which was carrying more than 90 military personnel and crew,crashed into nearby Patikul village at 11:30 a.m. local time on Sunday (11:30 p.m. ET). It is unclear if there were casualties on the ground.”Minutes after the crash, troops and civilian volunteers rushed to the site for search and rescue. Per eyewitnesses, a number of soldiers were seen jumping out of the aircraft before it hit the ground sparing them from from the explosion caused by the crash,” according to a press release by Joint Task Force Sulu.Hot Sale Jordans ,Images from a local TV station appeared to show the burning wreck of the plane and thick smoke billowing from the village. A large plume of smoke is seen in images of the crash rising up through the palms to the blue sky.At least 50 people were hospitalized after the crash, with some being evacuated to the city of “Zamboanga to undergo further treatment,” according to the statement.Joint Task Force Sulu Commander William N Gonzales said 17 personnel are still unaccounted for. These “individuals were supposed to report to their battalions today. They were supposed to join us in our fight against terrorism,” he said.Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana said the plane was carrying 92 personnel on board, including three pilots and five crew members.

The Lockheed Martin C-130 aircraft had recently arrived in the Philippines. It was one of two aircraft granted by the U.S. government’s military financing program, according to a US government website announcement in February.
Sunday’s crash comes weeks after a newly acquired S-70i Black Hawk utility helicopter crashed during a night flight about 60 miles north of the capital Manila. Jordan Release News , All six people on board died, according to CNN Philippines.
It was one of a number of new combat utility helicopters bought by the armed forces in its bid to modernize its fleet, according to a Philippines government website.
The military personnel were supposed to bolster the battalions fighting against Abu Sayyaf, a Filipino jihadi group based in Sulu that has been involved in bomb attacks and piracy for decades. The group proclaimed allegiance to ISIS in 2014.