MANILA, Philippines — The light trainer plane that was reported missing since Monday has already been sighted and its coordinates were photographed in Bataan province, an official of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Friday.
CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the two-seater Cessna C-152 training aircraft was seen Thursday afternoon in a thickly-forested area in Bataan.
“Nagkaroon ng sighting kahapon bago dumilim at nakunan ng litrato yung area… Dito ho sa may Bataan area,” Apolonio said in an interview over Super Radyo dzBB.
He said that a search-and-rescue operation was conducted after the trainer plane was discovered.
“Ngayon ho magkakaroon ho kami ng bagong search-and-rescue operation kaya lang medyo hindi maka-penetrate yung ating mga helicopter doon sa area,” he said.
However, he said that ground searchers already started moving toward the area but have not gone anywhere near the crash site.
The trainer plane was flown by an instructor pilot and a student pilot. It took off from Subic Airbase last Monday and went missing after.
Apolonio said there are no reports yet on the condition of the two people on board the plane.
“We hope na naka-survive sila pero wala po kaming mabibigay na impormasyon ngayon kung anong nangyayari pa dahil malayo nga yung sightings namin kahapon,” he said. /jpv