Retrieval ops for bodies of passengers of ill-fated Cessna ongoing – Caap

This RPC-8598 Cessna 152 went missing after it took off from Laoag City, failing to land at the Tuguegarao Airport on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 1.(File photo from OCD-Region 2)

MANILA, Philippines — Retrieval operations are being conducted for the remains of the passengers of the ill-fated Cessna plane in Apayao.

The operator of the aircraft, Echo Air International Aviation Academy, has been suspended.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) made these announcements on Wednesday.

Caap told INQUIRER.net that the operations of the flying school will remain in this status until the probe into the plane crash is finished.

“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 has been completed,” it said.

The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered in Barangay Salvacion, Luna, Apayao on Wednesday afternoon.

The plane was reported missing on Tuesday afternoon after departing from Laoag International Airport at 12:16 p.m.

It failed to arrive at its destination, which was supposed to be at Tuguegarao Airport at 3:16 p.m.

The Cessna was carrying two passengers – the pilot, Captain Edzel John Lumbao Tabuzo, and Indian student pilot Anshum Rajkumar Konde.

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APL