A strong magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Maasim, Sarangani on Monday morning disrupted air travel in Mindanao, forcing the cancellation of 17 domestic flights at General Santos Airport.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported that the affected flights, as of 10 a.m. on June 8, were operated by Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, and Philippine Airlines.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake occurred at 7:37 a.m. and originated at a depth of 10 kilometers.
General Santos City experienced Intensity VII ground shaking, prompting authorities to assess potential damage and public safety risks.
Following the earthquake, a tsunami warning was issued for Sarangani, South Cotabato, and seven other coastal provinces as a precautionary measure.
Cancelled Flights
Cebu Pacific (11 flights)
- 5J4843 – Iloilo to General Santos
- 5J4844 – General Santos to Iloilo
- 5J998 – General Santos to Manila
- 5J993 – Manila to General Santos
- 5J994 – General Santos to Manila
- 5J995 – Manila to General Santos
- 5J996 – General Santos to Manila
- 5J249 – Cebu to General Santos
- 5J250 – General Santos to Cebu
- 5J991 – Manila to General Santos
- 5J992 – General Santos to Manila
PAL Express (4 flights)
- 2P2357 – Cebu to General Santos
- 2P2358 – General Santos to Cebu
- 2P2455 – Manila to General Santos
- 2P2456 – General Santos to Manila
Philippine Airlines (2 flights)
- PR453 – Manila to General Santos
- PR454 – General Santos to Manila
Airport and aviation authorities have advised affected passengers to regularly check official airline channels for updates regarding flight status, rebooking options, and revised travel schedules as recovery efforts continue following the earthquake.