Cessna pilot, Norwegian die in crash

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – A Norwegian citizen and the pilot of a four-seater Cessna from Cebu were killed as the aircraft crashed in Mambajao, Camiguin yesterday morning, authorities said. 

The plane landed short and was forced to pull up when it hit a coconut tree and crashed some two kilometers away from the Camiguin airport, according to the office of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) here.

Chief Superintendent Jufel Adriatico, Cagayan de Oro City police chief, identified the fatalities as pilot Christian Cebrecus and Norwegian Lars Strande, 37.

Injured in the crash were co-pilot Nurmala Dewi, an Indonesian, and passenger Jens Strande, also a Norwegian.

The CAAP could not yet ascertain if Cebrecus was a Filipino citizen.

The CAAP said the plane was owned by AviaTour Air based at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

In a phone interview, Capt. Allan Mabutas of AviaTour could not yet confirm though if the plane was theirs until they could gather all information about the incident. 

Lt. Col. Elpidio Talja Jr., group commander of the Philippine Air Force’s Tactical Operations Group (TOG) based at Lumbia airport here, said they were still waiting for CAAP’s request for assistance.

Talja said the TOG search and rescue group stationed in Davao City has helicopters just on standby for deployment. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rudy Santos