MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:42 p.m.) — Kinumpirma ng Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) na natagpuan na ang nawawalang Cessna 152 training aircraft (RP-C8958) naiulat na nawawala — pero ang sakay nitong piloto at estudyante, pinaghahanap pa rin.
Martes nang ipagbigay alam ng CAAP na biglang nawala ang Cessna plane matapos umalis sa Laoag International Airport bandang 12:16 p.m. kahapon. Nakataya itong lumapag sa Tuguegarao Airport at 3:16 p.m. noong araw na 'yon ngunit hindi na nakarating pa.
"The Cessna 152 training aircraft (RP-C8958) that was reported missing yesterday, 1 August 2023, has been found by the search team at Brgy. Salvacion, Luna, Apayao today, 2 August 2023," wika ni CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio ngayong Miyerkules.
"Search and retrieval operations are now ongoing to retrieve the bodies of the two persons on board the aircraft."
Huling namataan ang RP-C8958 32 nautical miles hilagangkanluran ng Alcala, Cagayan bago ito maglaho.
Sakay ng naturang eroplano ang isang pilot instructor at student pilot at pupunta pa sana sa Cauayan Airport para sa isang "touch and go" activity bago magtungo sana sa Tuguegarao.
Una nang sinabi ng joint search and rescue operations na na-triangulate na ang possibleng crash site sa Alcala ngayong araw.
Ang Cessna 152 ay isang American two-seater, fixed-tricycle-gear, general aviation airplane at primaryang ginagamit para sa flight training at personal na gamit.
Kumpirmadong bumagsak
Kinumpirma naman na ng CAAP, Apayao Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Jeoffrey Borromeo, NDRRMC at Cagayan Provincial Information Office na wasak na nang nakita ang eroplano.
Sa kabila nito, hindi pa rin makumpirma ni Apolonio kung patay na ba talaga na ang dalawang sakay nito.
Kahapon lang nang simulan ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Philippine Air Force at Philippine Army ang paghananap.
Bandang 5 a.m. nang subukan ng helicopter ng Philippine Coast Guard umalis ng Tuguegarao Airpirt upang magsagawa ng aerial search ngunit hindi ito natuloy dahil sa maulap na panahon.
Aircraft operator suspendido
Dagdag pa ni Apolonio, sinuspindo na ang operasyon ng operator ng naturang aircraft.
Tinukoy ang operator sa pangalang "Echo Air."
"Investigators from the CAAP Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) have been dispatched to the location and will join the investigation of the crash site once retrieval of the bodies have been completed," pagtatapos ni Apolonio.