Off the runway!

One of the Sky Pasada planes servicing Batanes was almost pushed off the island’s unpaved runway by unusually strong winds on Thursday. The plane flew from Basco, Batanes capital town, to Itbayat (see map).

No one was hurt when the twin-engine, short-range LET 410 was dragged by strong winds toward the end of the runway, moments after it landed at Itbayat island. The landing gear was destroyed and other damages may appear during close inspection.

The island province of Batanes lies at the northernmost tip of the Philippines. This is the converging point for the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. Batan, the biggest island of Batanes, is composed of Basco (the capital town), Ivana, Uyugan and Mahatao. The two other-island municipalities are Sabtang and Itbayat. The province is approximately 860 kilometers away from Manila and 280 kilometers north of Aparri, Cagayan.