Airplane Crashes Into Philippine School

A light airplane crashed into a school building Saturday near the Philippine capital after its pilot requested an emergency landing shortly after takeoff, killing at least 13 people, including two children.

The plane burst into flames after hitting the school, said Mayor Florencio Bernabe of suburban Paranaque city.

No classes were in session when the plane
hit, but officials were determining how many on the ground were injured
or killed, he said.


Firefighters reported that the bodies were
charred and that the dead included the pilot and the co-pilot -- the
only two people on the plane, Bernabe said.


Police Senior Inspector Dennis Sirilan said
the fire spread rapidly to nearby shanties that surround the school
after the twin-engine plane crashed.


Sirilan said he saw the aircraft "twirling"
in the air before it slammed into the F. Serrano Elementary School,
which was severely damaged by the fire.


Firefighters were hampered in quickly
reaching the scene by the narrow streets in the community. The area was
still smoldering after the fire was brought under control about three
hours later.


Philippine Red Cross Secretary General Gwen Pang said the dead included an infant and a child.


She said at least 10 people were brought to a hospital, including five with major burns.


Civil Aviation Authority chief Ramon
Gutierrez said the six-to-eight-seat Beechcraft Queen Air plane sent out
a distress call shortly after taking off from Manila for Mindoro
Island. The plane crashed before it was able to return to the airport.
Source

reminds me of LOST.