Elderly Fil-Am couple injured in Asiana, too
FIRE OUT. An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 is seen on the runway at San Francisco International Airport after crash landing. Photo by AFP
MANILA, Philippines – Coming from a vacation in the Philippines, an elderly Filipino-American couple also sustained injuries in the Asiana crash last week, the Philippine embassy in the United States confirmed Wednesday, July 10.
Citing information from the Philippine consulate in San Francisco, California, the Philippine embassy identified the couple as Ruben Vallero, 75, and Belen Vallero, 73.
On Tuesday night, July 9, the embassy first confirmed that a Fil-Am woman, along with her two children, got injured in the Asiana crash. The woman, Maricel Anino Knaus, and her two children have been discharged from the hospital.
On Wednesday morning, the embassy said the Valleros suffered internal injuries. The two will be released from Stanford Hospital on Wednesday after recuperating from injuries, the embassy added.
The couple took the ill-fated Asiana Flight 214 to San Francisco from the Philippines after a 3-week vacation, according to the embassy.
'Initially OK' but...
Citing Bombo Radyo in the Philippines, the embassy added the couple “initially appeared OK but were rushed to the hospital from home after exhibiting signs of internal bleeding.”
The Philippine consulate was earlier told that the flight didn’t carry persons with Filipino passports or Filipino-sounding names, according to the embassy.
The embassy said the consulate repeatedly requested access to the passenger manifest of Asiana Flight 214, but was always denied this.
It said the Philippine consulate has “anticipated” the possibility that the flight carried Fil-Am passengers, and “has communicated this several times to authorities.”
Last Sunday, July 7 (Philippine time), an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crashed while landing at the San Francisco International Airport, killing two people and injuring 182.
The 7-year-old plane had no known mechanical problems, the Asiana Airlines CEO said. – Rappler.com
