Rescuers reach Cessna crash site near Mayon crater; begin retrieval ops  

Personnel of the Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion and 9th Infantry Division reach the Cessna plane wreckage near Mt. Mayon’s crater on Friday. Photo from the Philippine Army

MANILA, Philippines — After days of hiking treacherous terrain, the interagency search and retrieval team finally reached on Friday the Cessna plane wreckage near Mayon Volcano’s crater, the Philippine Army said.

Upon reaching the site, the team composed of Army personnel from the 31st Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, local mountaineers, government rescuers, and other trek guides began the retrieval operation to bring home the remains of four victims.

“Army soldiers and other responders are retrieving the remains of the four fatalities amid poor visibility and the area’s unstable terrain,” the Army said in a statement.

Camalig town mayor Caloy Baldo, in a Facebook post on Friday, said responders have also recovered the belongings of the victims, which were scattered all over the crash site.

Baldo said the recovered materials would be turned over to the Scene of the Crime Operatives for investigation.

Team members started their climb on Tuesday (February 21) to reach the crash site.

“Unfavorable terrain and bad weather contributed to the difficulty of reaching the crash site, according to members of the multi-agency search and retrieval team,” the Army also said.

The Cessna RPC340, went missing on Saturday morning (February 18).

Four people, including pilot Capt. Rufino James Crisostomo Jr.; his mechanic, Joel Martin; and their two Australian passengers, Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santhanam, were confirmed dead on Thursday.

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JPV/abc