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8 dead after plane catches fire while taking off from Manila airport

Rescuers stand next to the wreckage of a Westwind aircraft after it caught fire during takeoff at Manila International Airport in Manila on March 29, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images)

A Tokyo-bound plane crashed while taking off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines capital city of Manila on Sunday, killing all eight on board, airport personnel told CNN.

All passengers on board Lion Air Flight RPC 5880 died after the plane caught fire as it was taking off from the airport, according to Manila’s International Airport Authority.


An American and Canadian were on board the flight, according to the flight’s passenger manifest. The other six on board were Filipino, according to the manifest.

The passengers included medical personnel, according to Red Cross spokesman Richard Gordon.

The plane was reportedly carrying medical supplies, the Philippines News Agency said, adding that the plane caught fire on the runway.