Screengrab from a video of the site where the crashed plane was located by authorities in San Mariano, Isabela. (Photo from the Isabela Incident Management Team)
MANILA, Philippines — There will be no aerial rescue for the crashed light plane located in Isabela on Tuesday, according to the province’s disaster risk reduction management office (DRRMO).
“A second chopper has arrived … for a 2-chopper rescue. However, there will be no aerial rescue today. The crash site is now under clouds,” the DRRMO’s Incident Management Team (IMT) told reporters through Viber.
Furthermore, the IMT explained that the remaining sunlight period is also not enough for aerial rescuers to proceed with its operations.
Due to this, rescuers are now currently finalizing its strategies for Wednesday morning.
But local weather forecasts show that the amihan — locally known as the northeast monsoon — may still interfere with the rescue operations by Wednesday..
“Meanwhile, ground rescuers are still trying to reach the crash site by foot,” the IMT said.
The plane was discovered on Tuesday morning in San Mariano, Isabela.
Rescuers have yet to determine the fate of its pilot, Captain Levy Abdul II, and the lone passenger.
The plane went missing on Thursday, November 30, after departing from Cauayan Airport at 9:39 a.m.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines identified the missing plane as a Piper PA-32-300 type aircraft.