Plane wreckage found in Cagayan

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  – The wreckage of the Chemtrad plane that went missing for the past 13 days was found yesterday afternoon in a remote mountain area in sitio Baying, Baggao, Cagayan.

Cagayan Valley (Region 2) police director Chief Superintendent Robert Damian said there were no signs of survivors at the crash site.

“The wreckage of the ill-fated plane was reported found along the slope of a heavily vegetated area in Baggao, Cagayan. Ground search teams from Baggao reached the crash site at 1 p.m.,” said Damian.

He said they tried to land at the crash site using two Air Force helicopters accompanied by Air Force Lt. Col. Isaias Espino and Senior Superintendent Moro Lazo to personally supervise the retrieval operations but were prevented by bad weather and harsh terrain.

“We were supposed to start retrieval operations but strong winds and the lack of a landing zone prevented us from getting to the ground,” he said.

“Retrieval operations will resume early today,” said Damian, who along with Espino and Lazo and search and rescue personnel had rushed to the site upon receiving reports from the ground search team on the discovery of the plane wreck.

The aircraft with tail number 764 left Tuguegarao airport at around 8 a.m. last April 2 and was bound for Maconacon, Isabela, just 30 to 35 minutes away by plane.

The aircraft failed to reach its destination.

The ill-fated BN Islander plane lost contact with aviation authorities minutes after it took off.

On board were Captain Tomas Yañez, his co-pilot Captain Ranier Ruiz, and their passengers Maconacon councilor Abelardo Baggay, retiring Senior Police Officer 2 Rolly Castaños, also of Maconacon, barangay chairman Joel Basilio of Sapinit, Divilacan town; James Bakilan of the Divilacan local government, and Celestino Salacup, driver of Maconacon Mayor Francisco Talosig. 

Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca said Salacup, who had been attending to his wife’s recuperation from surgery at a Tuguegarao hospital, was about to attend the elementary graduation of his daughter whom he had not seen for the past two months. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe