Wirraway
12th Nov 2002, 19:11
Wed "Sydney Morning Herald"
'Flying coffins' had shocking safety record
By Philip Cornford and Lee Glendinning
November 13 2002
The aircraft in which five Australian surfers died was a "flying coffin" owned by a debt-ridden airline with a shocking safety record, a Manila newspaper claimed yesterday.
Eighteen people died when a Fokker 27 aircraft owned by Laoag International Airline (LIA) crashed into Manila Bay three minutes after take-off on Monday morning.
Steve Thompson, 25, was the only one of a group of six Australian mates on a surfing trip to survive the crash.
The deaths of brothers Tim and Sam Coddington, 26 and 24, Darren Green 23, Nick Wright, 24 and John Benson, 24, had left their friends and family heartbroken, a relative said yesterday.
Rick Everingham, an uncle of the Coddington boys, told how all five were happy in their jobs, had girlfriends and had been friends for years.
"All five boys have left behind lovely girlfriends who are devastated by the accident, as are their parents," he said.
Filipino air safety authorities have grounded LIA's three remaining Fokker 27s and promised to investigate the allegations by the newspaper, the Philippine Star.
Investigators revealed the pilot, captain Bernie Crisostomo, made a distress call moments after take-off, reporting engine trouble and saying he would attempt an emergency landing on a public boulevard on reclaimed land in Manila Bay.
A Filipino politician, Imee Marcos, demanded sanctions on the airline, claiming the authorities had ignored warnings about LIA's safety record.
"Despite these warnings, the airline was allowed to expand its operations," Ms Marcos said.
Tony Casimiro, manager of radio station Bombo Radyo, told the Star LIA's planes had been involved in three crashes at two local airports.
He said the mayor of Batanes was killed in one of the crashes, leading local residents to call the Fokkers "flying coffins".
"Unless one's trip is of extreme emergency, I can't recall anyone taking LIA," he told the newspaper.
Another politician, Roque Ablan, a licensed pilot, accused LIA of flying aircraft manufactured in the 1960s.
Asked the age of the aircraft, LIA vice-president Alvin Yater replied: "Thirty plus".
Mr Ablan said the Fokkers were first owned by Philippine Airlines, who sold them to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The PAF sold them to a New Zealand company who franchised them to LIA, he said.
The airline was registered to carry passengers and freight on February 24, 1995, with its licence effective for 50 years.
Mr Everingham said the men surfed together, drank together, grew up together and had a lot of fun together.
They had saved hard all year and tailored their work schedules so they could get time off work together.
The group all came from Sydney, except Nick Wright, of Brisbane, who worked as a passenger services officer with Queensland Rail.
They flew to Manila on Sunday morning and had planned to stay at a popular surfing hotel, Badoc Island Resort, for a few weeks.
Another Australian, Bryan Forrester, 40, who is believed to be working in Manila, also survived the crash.
Mr Everingham said Tim and Sam "loved their sport, in particular surfing".
"Tim had recently returned from a surfing trip in Mexico and Sam from Samoa some 12 months ago.
"They had successful careers that they really loved - Tim as a carpenter/builder and Sam as an assistant cameraman at Channel Ten."
Mr Everingham said the ties between the six were strong.
"They had been great friends for years through school, surfing and their girlfriends."
'Flying coffins' had shocking safety record
By Philip Cornford and Lee Glendinning
November 13 2002
The aircraft in which five Australian surfers died was a "flying coffin" owned by a debt-ridden airline with a shocking safety record, a Manila newspaper claimed yesterday.
Eighteen people died when a Fokker 27 aircraft owned by Laoag International Airline (LIA) crashed into Manila Bay three minutes after take-off on Monday morning.
Steve Thompson, 25, was the only one of a group of six Australian mates on a surfing trip to survive the crash.
The deaths of brothers Tim and Sam Coddington, 26 and 24, Darren Green 23, Nick Wright, 24 and John Benson, 24, had left their friends and family heartbroken, a relative said yesterday.
Rick Everingham, an uncle of the Coddington boys, told how all five were happy in their jobs, had girlfriends and had been friends for years.
"All five boys have left behind lovely girlfriends who are devastated by the accident, as are their parents," he said.
Filipino air safety authorities have grounded LIA's three remaining Fokker 27s and promised to investigate the allegations by the newspaper, the Philippine Star.
Investigators revealed the pilot, captain Bernie Crisostomo, made a distress call moments after take-off, reporting engine trouble and saying he would attempt an emergency landing on a public boulevard on reclaimed land in Manila Bay.
A Filipino politician, Imee Marcos, demanded sanctions on the airline, claiming the authorities had ignored warnings about LIA's safety record.
"Despite these warnings, the airline was allowed to expand its operations," Ms Marcos said.
Tony Casimiro, manager of radio station Bombo Radyo, told the Star LIA's planes had been involved in three crashes at two local airports.
He said the mayor of Batanes was killed in one of the crashes, leading local residents to call the Fokkers "flying coffins".
"Unless one's trip is of extreme emergency, I can't recall anyone taking LIA," he told the newspaper.
Another politician, Roque Ablan, a licensed pilot, accused LIA of flying aircraft manufactured in the 1960s.
Asked the age of the aircraft, LIA vice-president Alvin Yater replied: "Thirty plus".
Mr Ablan said the Fokkers were first owned by Philippine Airlines, who sold them to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The PAF sold them to a New Zealand company who franchised them to LIA, he said.
The airline was registered to carry passengers and freight on February 24, 1995, with its licence effective for 50 years.
Mr Everingham said the men surfed together, drank together, grew up together and had a lot of fun together.
They had saved hard all year and tailored their work schedules so they could get time off work together.
The group all came from Sydney, except Nick Wright, of Brisbane, who worked as a passenger services officer with Queensland Rail.
They flew to Manila on Sunday morning and had planned to stay at a popular surfing hotel, Badoc Island Resort, for a few weeks.
Another Australian, Bryan Forrester, 40, who is believed to be working in Manila, also survived the crash.
Mr Everingham said Tim and Sam "loved their sport, in particular surfing".
"Tim had recently returned from a surfing trip in Mexico and Sam from Samoa some 12 months ago.
"They had successful careers that they really loved - Tim as a carpenter/builder and Sam as an assistant cameraman at Channel Ten."
Mr Everingham said the ties between the six were strong.
"They had been great friends for years through school, surfing and their girlfriends."