CAAP simulates aircraft ditching in Davao Gulf to test emergency response

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) recently conducted a full-scale emergency exercise in Davao City to test its readiness in responding to aircraft incidents.

Personnel from Francisco Bangoy International Airport, together with the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, and the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction Office, on 19 November simulated an off-airport aircraft ditching on the Davao Gulf at the Department of Public Works and Highways Port Area in Panacan, 2.5 nautical miles southeast of the airport.

An aircraft ditching is an emergency landing on water performed when an aircraft can no longer remain safely in flight but cannot reach a runway.

CAAP on Friday said the activity aims to strengthen crisis response capabilities, noting that the exercise allows the agency to validate procedures to meet both national and international standards.

“This exercise allows us to validate our procedures and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to meet and exceed both national expectations and international standards,” CAAP Director General Raul Del Rosario said.

Under International Civil Aviation Organization and CAAP regulations, full-scale airport emergency exercises are required every two years. The last drill was conducted in 2023 and focused on security threats, including bomb threats, hijacking, unlawful interference, and civil disturbance.