MANILA — The nine Filipinos onboard Air Niugini Flight that crashed into a Pacific lagoon in Micronesia on Friday after missing the runway were safe and are on their way to Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Saturday.
The agency is now providing assistance to the nine seafarers who were among the 47 passengers of Air Niugini Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
All 46 passengers and crew were accounted for and one was reported missing.
In a report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Consul General Marciano de Borja of the Philippine Consulate General in Agana said the Filipinos were on their way to the Philippines for a vacation when their plane landed on surrounding waters of an island in Micronesia as they attempted to land in Chuuk Island airport.
As of posting, the Consulate General is coordinating with the airline for the recovery of their luggage.
Air Niugini, which has been established in 1973, is the flag carrier of Papua New Guinea. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)
