MANILA, Philippines — Operations to retrieve the remains of six victims of the Cessna 206 plane crash in Isabela started Saturday, two days after the wreckage was located.
Isabela's Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said in news reports that prior to their arrival at the crash site, the multi-agency retrieval team had difficulty reaching the location due to rains and slippery terrain.
Tagged "Site Delta," the crash site at Barangay Ditarum is in a mountainous and forested part of the Divilacan town about 30 kilometers from the bay and within the 20-kilometer radius of Maconacon community airport.
"Difficult terrain and the area’s thick jungle are contributing to the difficulty of retrieving the bodies," the Philippine Army said in a statement Saturday.
No survivors were identified among the five passengers and a pilot.
Retrieval operations are expected to take days to complete. The remains of the victims have to be taken down from the crash site while keeping the wreckage secured for investigation.
The plane was reported missing just an hour after it departed from the Cauayan Domestic Airport bound for Maconacon on January 24.