MANILA -- A mock-up aircraft caught fire during a crash rescue exercise at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Emergency response teams from various agencies like the Manila International Airport Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine National Police sprang into action to battle the blaze and rescue any potential "survivors".

The air ambulance of the Philippine Coast Guard evacuated "survivors" while firefighters worked to control the fire for rescue operations.

Paramedics and medical personnel were also on standby.

The exercise aimed to closely replicate a real-life emergency. This year's CREX involved a mock-up aircraft designed to accommodate 100 passengers.

The exercise, which showcased the airport's readiness and coordination with different agencies, received positive feedback from the MIAA General Manager Bryan Andersen Co.

"I think the exercise has proved that the airport is ready, talagang maayos ang ating coordination with different agencies. We do have first responders na MIAA. But those are not enough. We have layers of responses… The exercise today was well-executed. As I said, we will review this; we will accept all of the recommendations, and critiques so we can improve the next exercises nation," Co said.

Apart from rescuing passengers inside the mock-up aircraft, the exercise also addressed how to tend to traumatized survivors, families, and deal with fatalities.

CREX is held every two years to test the preparedness and coordination of MIAA's emergency response units.

Compliance with international safety standards during routine exercises like CREX, is essential for MIAA to receive an Aerodrome Ground Certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

"This is a requirement for aerodrome ground certification of the airport. So ngayon, na-comply nila ito so we will issue the certificate," CAAP Director General Capt. Manuel Tamayo said.

While the exercise was successful, the Airline Operators Council noted some areas for improvement, such as data transfer between rescuers, airlines, and families.

They also suggested conducting crash rescue exercises outside the airport premises with larger aircraft mock-ups to better prepare for incidents involving foreign carriers with more passengers.

“This simulation was for a small aircraft but we are even prepared for bigger aircraft katulad ng past incidents na nangyari dito. From there, yan ang sinasabi ko na meron na tayong agreement with different providers who can assist us in terms of extracting this aircraft para mabuksan agad natin ang airport… Our capability is more than enough. That's why meron tayong ganitong exercises para bukod sa on paper we are capable, alam natin in actual situation like a live exercise, kaya natin rumesponde," Co said.

Despite focusing on a small aircraft simulation, MIAA is confident it can handle incidents involving bigger aircraft based on the exercise's outcomes.

Recent incidents inside the NAIA compound involved big aircraft, including the Saudi Arabian Airlines, with 420 passengers, which skidded at the runway last June 2022, and the Xiamen Air, with 165 passengers, paralyzing the airport for almost four days.

In 2022, a Lionair West Wind aircraft caught fire and exploded at the NAIA runway, killing eight all people on board.