At least 31 members of the Philippines Air Force were killed when the Lockheed C-130 transport jet carrying 92 people crash landed in the southern part of the country on Sunday morning, sending up a ball of fire and thick smoke. The crash happened in an area where the Philippines military was engaged in a long battle with Islamist militants after the jet missed the runway and tried to regain enough power to ascend. At least 40 survivors were taken to area hospitals and officials say the death toll may rise. “Rescue and recovery is ongoing,” Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement. It is unclear whether fighting in the area contributed to the accident.
