Mactan-Cebu airport ops suspended after plane overshoots runway

A Korean Air plane overshot a runway in Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Sunday evening due to bad weather, but no casualties were reported.

“We confirm that at 11:11pm on 23 October Sunday, Korean Air flight no. KE631 from Incheon, South Korea overshot the runway in a landing attempt during heavy rains at the MCIA,” the airport management said in a statement Monday.

All crew and passengers were safe, according to MCIA.

“No one was hurt during the incident. All 162 passengers and 11 crew onboard the A330 aircraft were immediately evacuated and tended to by airport emergency personnel,” the airport said.

Due to the incident, the runway was closed and the operation in MCIA was suspended.

“The incident has necessitated the temporary closure of the MCIA runway to allow for the safe removal of the aircraft. For now, all international and domestic flights to and from MCIA are canceled until further notice,” MCIA said.

Some flights in Mactan-Cebu airport were also diverted, including the PR 1869 from Manila to Cebu and AirAsia 329047 from Incheon to Cebu.

“We are working with Korean Air, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), and the Civil Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for the swift resolution of this matter,” the airport said.

In a separate statement, Korean Air president Keehong Woo apologized over the incident and said a thorough investigation will be conducted.

“We always prioritize safety in all of our operations, and we truly regret the stress and inconvenience brought to our passengers,” he said.

“We remain committed to standing behind our promise of safe operations and will do our very best to institute measures to prevent any recurrence. Our overall goal is for our valued guests to trust that Korean Air will treat them well, and honor us with the opportunity to welcome them once again,” he added.

Meanwhile, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople instructed concerned agencies to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who may be affected by the incident.

“I have directed [Overseas Workers Welfare Administration] and [Philippine Overseas Employment Administration] to assist OFWs who may be affected [especially] with flight cancellations, etc," Ople said on Twitter.

Citing the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Ople said there were two Filipino seafarers onboard the plane.

“Both OFWs are ok,” she said.

Ople also said all Department of Migrant Workers posts overseas have been instructed to monitor and assist OFWs with inbound flights to Cebu given the cancellation of flights.

In a separate statement, the Department of Tourism said its chief, Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, directed DOT-7 officials stationed at the MCIA to coordinate with airport authorities and extend assistance to affected travelers.

A report from DOT-7 stated that 112 foreign nationals, 32 balikbayans, and 18 OFWs were affected by the incident. Moreover, some 530 stranded outbound international passengers have been accommodated in hotels shouldered by their airlines.

The DOT is in coordination with MCIA, the Department of Transportation, CAAP, and the GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation following the incident. —Joviland Rita/KBK/AOL, GMA News