Underwater image confirms C-130 wreckage

DAVAO CITY – An underwater image provided by the US Navy survey ship John McDonnel finally confirmed the wreckage of the ill-fated Philippine Air Force C-130 cargo plane found lying in the seabed some 128 meters below the Davao Gulf.

Air Force Tactical Operations Group chief Col. Isagani Silva said the image provided by McDonnel confirmed the exact location of the wreckage where it was initially spotted just two miles east of Barangay Bucana here.

“Aside from the positive confirmation of the location, the pixilated image (would) also help authorities in planning how to retrieve or salvage the wreckage,” Silva said.

He added the Air Force has plans on how to retrieve the C-130 wreckage.

“Unless we will investigate further by scrutinizing the wreckage, the crash would remain a mystery and questions would remain unanswered,” Silva said.

The US Navy ship located the wreckage late Thursday, four days after it arrived here last Sept. 1 to help in the search of the missing cargo plane.

The wreckage area pinpointed by the McDonnel was almost the same spot earlier cited by local divers, Silva said.

The 41-year-old US made cargo plane made last contact with air traffic controllers shortly after takeoff from Davao airport on its way to Iloilo City last Aug. 25.

The aircraft was piloted by Maj. Manuel Zambrano and Capt. Adrian de Dios, with crewmen that included Sgt. Petronilo Fernandez, T/Sgt. Lobregas Constantino, S/Sgts. John Ariola, Gery Denosio, Romeo Gaor and Aldrin Ilustrisimo.

Army Cpl. Bernie Sabangan and Army M/Sgt. Remegio Libres were among the passengers of the ill-fated aircraft.

They were all presumed dead several days after search and rescue operations were called off.

Navy Capt. Rosauro Arnel Gonzales, Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao commander, said McDonnel was also able to detect other major parts of the aircraft in the seabed.

Gonzales said the Air Force would decide what to do with the wreckage, pointing out the expensive effort that would require professional salvage firms to retrieve the cargo from the ill-fated plane.