Authorities on Thursday, Feb. 23, have shifted their operations from search and rescue to retrieval on the crashed Cessna 340 unit near the crater of Mayon Volcano.
Camalig, Albay Mayor Carlos Baldo said rescue teams have located the bodies of the four plane passengers. The Camalig local government also released the identities of the victims.
The passengers were identified as Capt. Rujfino James Crisostomo Jr., mechanic Joel Martin, and the two Australian passengers, Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santanan.
“Bakit po retrieval? Kasi nakita na po yung site wala naman pong may buhay na doon, kaya nasa retrieval operation na po tayo. Dito po sa retrieval namin, sana matapos natin ngayong araw at alam naman namin na yung family naghihintay na din,” he said.
Authorities are carefully planning the retrieval of the bodies, as a helicopter cannot land near the crater.
Rescue teams are at the campsite along the slopes of the volcano where a helicopter could land.
“May isang dadaanan doon na baka mas maliit pa dito, isa lang na tao makakadaan may hawak pang victim… May mga procedure pa silang gagawin bago sila dadaan, that is how difficult they are on site,” Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office head Cedric Daep said.
Additional personnel have already been deployed for the operation. The SOCO team is on standby to process the remains.
The Energy Development Corporation has extended condolences to the family of their employees who died in the tragedy.
The aircraft took off from the Bicol International Airport and was headed to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:43 a.m. last Saturday. Its last contact was at 6:46 a.m.
1/3 Sadly, we are aware that two Australians were reported to be on the light aircraft which disappeared in Albay province in the Philippines on Saturday 18 Feb.
— HK Yu PSM (@AusAmbPH) February 20, 2023
– Report from Ryan Lesigues/KC-ag
