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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Cebu Pacific flight hits mid-flight snag; all passengers, crew safe

Cebu Pacific flight hits mid-flight snag; all passengers, crew safe

Published Mar 8, 2025 10:50 am

CEBU CITY – Brace for impact.

Panicky passengers heard those words from the public address system of Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 588 in what could be the longest eight minutes of their lives.

CEBU PACIFIC.png

The Manila-bound aircraft was forced to return to Cebu after encountering landing-gear issues mid-flight on Saturday morning, March 8.

The jet left Cebu for Manila at 4:41 a.m. The flight was smooth until it was forced to turn back to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

One of the passengers, multi-awarded Cebuano film director Remton Zuasola, shared the anxious moments that gripped the plane’s cabin.

“The mood inside the cabin immediately shifted. Passengers, who had been peacefully resting, started whispering nervously while the flight crew scrambled to implement emergency procedures,” Zuasola told MyTVCebu.

Anxiety rose when instructions were issued as the pilots maneuvered for an emergency landing at MCIA runway.

“We were told to remove any sharp objects and brace for impact by placing our hands behind our heads. The next eight minutes felt like an eternity. People were crying, others were praying, and the tension in the air was palpable. It felt like everything was out of our control,” Zuasola recalled.

While the aircraft descended, turbulence added to the fear, Zuasola said.

Zuasola thought they wouldn’t make it. The thought that he was in the final moments of his life crossed Zuasola’s mind.

“As the Sun rose, I thought to myself, ‘what a beautiful view for my last moments,’” Zuasola said.

The mood inside the cabin finally lightened when the jet was able to land safely.

“But against all odds, the plane made a smooth landing. Everyone erupted into cheers and applause, with some passengers hugging their seatmates and others tearfully thanking the crew for their bravery,” Zuasola said.

As they disembarked from the aircraft, passengers, including nuns, thanked the flight crew profusely.

"CebuPac really handled this incident well and I congratulate the pilots for doing such a brave job of landing everyone to safety,” Zuasola added.

Cebu Pacific has yet to issue an official statement but the Mactan Cebu International Airport confirmed the incident.

“MCIAA and its partner agencies promptly coordinated with Cebu Pacific and relevant authorities to ensure the safety of the passengers, crew, and airport operations, ensuring that all protocols were followed,” it said.

The MCIAA said all passengers were taken care of and were transferred to the replacement aircraft which departed from Mactan at 7:09 a.m. and safely landed in Manila at 8:04 a.m.

“The safety and security of all passengers and personnel remain our top priority, and we extend our gratitude to all involved for their swift response,” the MCIA added.

Related Tags

Mactan-Cebu International Airport Cebu Pacific (CEB) Cebu province
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