MANILA — Cebu Pacific flight 5J 588 safely returned to Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Saturday (08 Mar 2025) morning after experiencing a mechanical issue with its landing gear. All 163 passengers, including an infant, and crew members were unharmed.
The flight, which had departed for Manila at 4:41 a.m., turned back shortly after takeoff when the pilot reported the technical problem. Airport authorities swiftly coordinated with Cebu Pacific and other relevant agencies to ensure the safety of everyone on board.
In an official statement, MCIAA praised the quick and effective response, saying all safety protocols were followed. The passengers were later transferred to a replacement aircraft, which departed at 7:09 a.m. and landed safely in Manila by 8:04 a.m.
Filmmaker and passenger Remton Zuasola commended the flight crew for their professionalism, sharing, “CebuPac really handled this incident well, and I congratulate the pilots for ensuring everyone’s safety.”
The airline reiterated its commitment to passenger safety, thanking all involved for their prompt and efficient actions during the emergency.
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