FedEx Jet Skids Into Sea

Authorities at a coastal airport were working Monday to control a fuel leak that began when a Federal Express cargo plane overshot the runway and plunged into the ocean, officials said.

The MD-11 plane, which originated in Shanghai, was landing at Subic shortly before midnight Sunday when it overshot the runway, said Bong Meneses, an official of the national Air Transportation Office. Both crew members escaped with minor injuries.

All of the plane was submerged in the sea except for the cockpit. Fuel was leaking from the plane, prompting airport authorities to surround the aircraft with a boom to prevent the slick from spreading, said Peter Yin, a regional Fedex vice president in Hong Kong.

Richard Gordon, a Red Cross official, said the nose and wing of the plane were damaged in the accident.

Â"The nose broke off from the plane, and cargo slipped out of the hold from there,Â" he said.

Subic, a former U.S. Navy base that has been converted into a special economic zone, has a small airport that Fedex uses as its Southeast Asian flight center.

Fedex said the two crew members, Capt. Michael Rooney and First Officer Cynthia Hubbard, evacuated the aircraft safely and were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.

Most of the plane's cargo had been damaged Â"and may not be salvageable,Â" Fedex said. The cargo reportedly consisted mainly of electronic goods and garments.

There was no immediate explanation of the cause of the accident. A light rain was falling and the runway was wet, company officials said.

Subic is 50 miles northwest of Manila.

Written by Aaron Favila
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