Main body of Philippines crash plane recovered

Philippines coastguard salvage workers today retrieved the main part of a twin-engine commuter plane that crashed into Manila Bay, possibly from engine trouble, allowing inspection of the wreckage to begin, officials said.

Rescuers yesterday recovered the last five bodies from the crash site, bringing the final death toll to 19, including five Australians and three Britons.

Fifteen people, including two Australians, survived the crash of the Fokker 27 plane.

Laoag International Airlines flight 585 took off at 6.06am on Monday (10.06pm Sunday, Irish time) from Manila’s domestic airport with 34 people on board for a regularly scheduled flight to northern Laoag city, about an hour away.

It lost contact with the control tower three minutes later.