Two people were killed, including the five-year old daughter of a departing overseas worker, and four others injured after a black SUV plowed into passengers waiting at the departure area of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on the morning of May 4.
The victims were with family members when the vehicle suddenly veered into the queue.
The SUV driver, who reportedly lost control of the vehicle, is now in the custody of the Philippine National Police.
The New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC), working closely with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the police, said investigations are ongoing. Authorities have yet to confirm the total number of victims and the official cause of the crash.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) chairman Ramon Ang visited the scene to assist with the response.
The NNIC appealed to the public not to speculate online and to await verified updates.
In response, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver’s license and a show-cause order to both the driver and the vehicle’s registered owner.
LTO chief Vigor Mendoza expressed deep condolences, noting that one of the deceased was a child of a fellow OFW. “We must determine accountability and take swift action,” he said.
The tragic NAIA crash comes just days after a May 1 incident in Tarlac City, where a passenger bus rammed into several vehicles at the SCTEx toll plaza, killing 10 and injuring over two dozen. The bus company, Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc., has since been slapped with a 30-day suspension.
These back-to-back tragedies have renewed concerns over road safety. Data from the Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group show that in 2024 alone, over 31,000 road crashes have occurred, leading to nearly 2,750 deaths involving over 47,000 vehicles.
Senator Grace Poe has called for a full investigation into the NAIA incident and urged authorities to prioritize victim welfare. She reiterated her call for the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board, a centralized agency to investigate all transportation-related accidents. “The spate of crashes is a wake-up call. These are not isolated incidents. We need systemic reforms to make our roads safer,” Poe emphasized.
With rising fatalities and recurring collisions, officials and the public alike are pressing for urgent and long-term solutions to address the country’s transport safety crisis.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “2 dead, 4 injured as SUV rams into passengers at NAIA 1”