A car crashed into the entrance of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the Philippines on Sunday, killing two people and injuring several others, according to officials.
A man and a young girl were killed and four others were injured in the crash that involved a black SUV. The Philippine Red Cross, which responded to the scene, said the girl was four-years-old, but Secretary of Transportation Vivencio Hizon said she was five-years-old.
NAIA said a “vehicular accident” happened on Sunday when the car crashed through the airport’s outer railing and into the walkway near the entrance of Terminal 1.
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“We understand the concern this incident has caused, especially as images have circulated on social media,” the airport’s operator, New NAIA Infra Co., said in a statement. “We urge the public not to speculate and to wait for verified updates, which will be issued as soon as they become available.”
Initial reports indicate that the SUV was parked near the terminal entrance when the driver accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes and accelerated after a car suddenly passed in front of him, according to local media.
People injured in the incident were receiving medical treatment. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was taken into custody by police, according to the airport’s operator.
The Land Transportation Office said it has suspended the driver’s license for 90 days while the investigation is ongoing.
Images shared by local media showed some people lying on the ground. Shattered glass was seen across the terminal’s entrance and the front of the black SUV was visibly damaged from striking the airport doors.
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Dozens of emergency personnel were seen at the airport surrounding the vehicle, which was later removed from the scene.
The airport operator said it is working with the authorities to investigate the incident.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
