Sulu crash victims extended assistance

The governor visited the site on Monday and personally made an assessment on the destruction brought by the C-130 military cargo plane that crashed in the village

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The provincial government of Sulu has granted financial assistance to the families of the three civilians who were killed and five others who were wounded following the crash of a C-130 military cargo plane at Sitio Annam, Barangay Bangkal in Patikul, Sulu.

The ill-fated cargo plane hit two residential houses when it overshot the runway on Monday morning.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan disclosed that the provincial government extended immediate assistance of P10,000 each to the five wounded residents and P50,000 each to the three who died during the incident.

The governor visited the site on Monday and personally made an assessment on the destruction brought by the C-130 military cargo plane that crashed in the village.

Tan said that the fatalities were identified as Silgaya Hamidan, 50: Jimar Amjadi Hakkam, 16: and Tan Amjadi Hakkam 18. Jimar and Tan are brothers and Silgaya was their grandmother.

Three wounded victims, on the other hand, are still being treated at the Sulu Provincial Hospital, while the two others — including a minor — were allowed to return home as they suffered only minor injuries.

The governor also ordered the Sulu Provincial Hospital administrator to extend all possible help to the victims now confined at the hospital.

Army Col. Giovanni Franza of the 11th Infantry Division, meantime, said that as of 7 p.m. Monday, the death toll reached 52 — 49 of them were soldiers and three were civilians.

At least 47 soldiers and four civilians were also wounded and are now confined at different government and private hospitals in Sulu and in Zamboanga City.