AT least 45 people have died after a military plane crashed after missing the runway in the southern Philippines.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft with 92 people on board crashed on Sunday morning while attempting to land on the island of Jolo.
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The plane crashed after attempting to land on the Filipino island of Jolo Credit: @AlertsPea 5
First responders work at the site of the crash Credit: Reuters
Pictures from the scene showed flames and smoke pouring from wreckage strewn among trees as men in combat uniform milled around.
At least 50 people have been rescued from the burning wreckage and have been taken to hospital.
"A number of soldiers were seen jumping out of the aircraft before it hit the ground, sparing them from the explosion caused by the crash," the Joint Task Force Sulu said in the statement.
"So far 40 wounded and injured were rescued and 17 bodies recovered. Rescue and recovery is ongoing," Defence Minister Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement this morning.
Military chief Cirilito Sobejana said the plane had "missed the runway trying to regain power."
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Residents gather near the massive plume of black smoke from the tragic crash Credit: Reuters 5
View of the crash site on Sunday morning Credit: Reuters
Air Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Maynard Mariano said the cause of the crash would be investigated.
"We are on rescue mode right now," Mariano said.
Most of the passengers had recently graduated from basic military training and were being deployed to the restive island as part of a joint task force fighting terrorism in the Muslim-majority region.
A military spokesman, Colonel Edgard Arevalo, said there was no indication of any attack on the plane, but that a crash investigation had not begun and efforts were focused on rescue and treatment.
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The airport in Jolo is located close to a mountainous area where troops have battled the Islamic State group Abu Sayyaf.
The United States and the Philippines have separately blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organisation for bombings, ransom kidnappings and beheadings.
It has been considerably weakened by years of government offensives but remains a threat.
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The Lockheed C-130 transport aircraft had 92 people on board Credit: AP