December 11, 1994, AP, Seattle Times, Sabotage Probed In Blast On Philippines Airlines,

December 11, 1994, AP, Seattle Times, Sabotage Probed In Blast On Philippines Airlines, 

TOKYO - Police today began an investigation of the cause of an explosion on a Philippines Airlines flight that killed one Japanese man and injured six other passengers when the plane was at 33,000 feet.

An officer with the Okinawa prefectural police who requested anonymity said that the possible causes being examined included sabotage.

Several hours after yesterday's explosion, a caller claiming to belong to Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim fundamentalist group, telephoned The Associated Press in Manila and claimed responsibility. The group has been fighting for Muslim self-rule in the southern Philippines.

But the chief of police at Manila's airport, Peter Mutuc, said he was skeptical of the group's latest claim.

Passengers said the explosion aboard Flight 434 blew a 2-foot hole in the floor, killing Japanese businessman Haruki Ikegami, 24, injuring six other passengers and setting the ceiling on fire.

Flight attendant Andre Palma said she pulled the passenger behind Ikegami out of the blast hole in the floor above the baggage area.

Passengers put out the fire with their blankets.

The Boeing 747, with 273 passengers and 20 crew members aboard, made a safe emergency landing about an hour later at Naha Airport on Okinawa in southern Japan.

The flight had originated in Manila, with a stop in Cebu.

After the plane landed at Naha Airport, a police bomb-disposal team removed a bag found near Ikegami's seat and examined it with X-rays. They found a hair dryer inside but no explosives, the prefectural police officer said.