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By Matthew Robinson
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A United States military plane hit a concrete barrier while taking off in the Philippines on Tuesday, injuring all five American personnel on board, officials said.
The incident occurred during a training exercise in the northern Philippine province of Pangasinan on Tuesday afternoon, three Philippine officials told The Associated Press.
The pilot and two other personnel were transported to a hospital following the incident, while another two were treated on site, police said in an initial report.
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Newsweek contacted the Pentagon by email outside of regular working hours for comment.
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Why It Matters
China's expanding presence in the Philippines' maritime zone and numerous clashes with its coast guard vessels have led the country to increase its military spending and defense ties with the U.S.
Earlier this month, China's People's Liberation Army Navy dispatched forces to monitor U.S. naval exercises with the Philippines and Australia in the South China Sea.
What To Know
Tuesday's incident occurred on a road in Laoac town when a U.S. Air Force transport aircraft landed and took off from an "alternate landing zone," the officials said.
The plane landed safely during the "supervised activity," but swerved during the takeoff and struck the barrier, they added.
The training exercise was planned with the Philippine military, police and civilian authorities, and the cause of the incident is currently under investigation, the officials said.
The training was required to prepare military forces for disaster situations when regular airports become inaccessible, including during earthquakes and typhoons.
The U.S. military is permitted to conduct training with the Filipino armed forces under a 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement. In recent years, training drills have mainly focused on helping the country defend its territory and maintain freedom of overflight and navigation in the South China Sea.
China lays claim to most of the South China Sea, citing alleged historical rights. However, a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled that China's claims had no legal basis.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in January: "The U.S., along with our allies and partners, upholds the right to freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, and respect for all nations’ maritime rights under international law."
What Happens Next
Authorities are investigating why the aircraft swerved during takeoff and struck the barrier. No cause has currently been identified.
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