November 12, 2002	Tuesday	Ramazan 6, 1423

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MANILA, Nov 11: At least 14 people were killed and 15 others injured when a Philippine domestic passenger plane crashed into a bay in Manila shortly after take-off on Monday, officials said.

Five people were missing and presumed dead after navy and coast guard teams failed to find them in the murky waters of Manila Bay more than six hours after the Fokker-27 plane crashed.

Admiral Reuben Lista, commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, said chances of finding survivors were slim.

“We are now on retrieval operations since it’s been more than six hours after the crash,” he said.

Rescuers said they suspected the five missing people were trapped inside the plane, submerged 14 metres under water, after some of the victims were found strapped into their seats.

The dead included Australian Darren Green, who was travelling with five friends for a surfing vacation in the northern city of Laoag, and Vietnamese national Tuapin Van Nguyen with an Australian passport.

Among Green’s companions, it is believed only 25-year-old Steve Thompson survived.

“The plane took off, flew for about three minutes and then the engine kind of got quiet,” Thompson said, after being treated for injuries to his feet and arms.—dpa