Remains of pilot in Isabela plane crash brought home to Nueva Ecija

The urn containing the ashes of Captain Eleazar Mark Joven, 45, the pilot who died along with five passengers when the Gen AV Cessna 206 crashed in Isabela province in January, is taken to a funeral home in Nueva Ecija province for his wake. (Photo by Armand Galang)

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija — Relatives and friends paid their last respects to Captain Eleazar Mark Joven, 45, the pilot who died along with five passengers when the Gen AV Cessna 206 plane crashed in Isabela province in January.

The urn containing Joven’s ashes was brought to the Coronel Funeral Chapel in this city, where his family was holding his wake.

Joven’s widow, Esperanza, said she was still in disbelief and had found it difficult to accept his fate. “Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa matanggap ang nangyari,” Esperanza told the Inquirer.

Joven was a resident of Barangay Poblacion West in this northern Nueva Ecija city. Before the crash, he had been flying aircraft for more than 20 years, said Esperanza.

Esperanza said Joven wanted their 12-year-old son to become a pilot too.

“‘Yun po ang pinagsisikapan niya. Gusto niyang maging piloto rin ang anak namin,” she said.

The ill-fated aircraft took off from Cagayan Domestic Airport in Isabela at 2:15 p.m. on Jan. 24 and was heading for Maconacon town when it disappeared.

The wreckage and the bodies of the victims were found in a forest in Isabela’s Divilacan town more than a month after they went missing. INQ

RELATED STORIES

Remains of Cessna plane crash victims in Isabela arrive at Cauayan …

Bodies of Isabela plane crash victims retrieved | Inquirer News

Bad weather stalls transfer of Isabela Cessna plane victims to Cauayan …

lzb