Two dead as Philippine Air Force plane crashes in Bataan

Two people were killed after a Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft crashed in Bataan late Wednesday morning, the Pilar Municipal Police (MPS) Station said.

“Opo (Yes),” Police Staff Sergeant Edgardo DC Delos Santos of Pilar MPS told GMA News Online in a message on Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement, the PAF said that two pilots died and no civilians were hurt in the incident.

"Two PAF pilots perished in the mishap while no civilian casualties were reported. Our aircraft accident investigation team [is] already at the site for a thorough investigation, while our SF260TP fleet has been grounded," the PAF said.

PAF spokesperson Colonel Maria Consuelo Castillo said one of their SF260 aircraft with two pilots from Sangley Point in Cavite City made a crash landing in Bataan.

“Unfortunately, one of our SF260 aircraft crash landed in Bataan just this late morning. We confirm that it is one of our Air Force aircraft, the SF260 aircraft from Sangley. It was on a recurrency training and that there were two pilots involved,” she told reporters.

“Unfortunately we cannot give details more than that. Investigation is ongoing," Castillo added.

The PAF official said that their pilots were well-trained and skilled.

In an "24 Oras" report on Wednesday, witness Ryan Diago said, "Nakita ko agad ang dalawang pilot, nakadapa na po sila sa kanilang pinaka-airplane. ...hindi ko na po masyado nilapitan kasi nag-spark pa po at umuusok pa 'yung engine."

Based on the Pilar MPS report, the aircraft with body number 29 crashed at a field in Sitio Tabon in Barangay Del Rosario in Pilar, Bataan.

“Immediately personnel of this station responded to the crashed site and found out an Air Force plane with number 29 crashed in the middle of the field with pilots both servicemen of PAF still inside the cockpit,” the report said.

Witnesses said the incident occurred at about 10:42 a.m.

Castillo said the estimated takeoff of the plane from Sangley was around 9:59 a.m.

They lost track of the aircraft around 10:34 a.m., she added.

PAF said that the SF260 was manufactured in Italy in 1990 and is well-maintained despite being old. It was also among the air assets used in the battle in Marawi city.

The crash took place a day after a Cessna plane with six people onboard was reported missing in Isabela province. —With Sherylin Untalan/KBK/KG/VBL, GMA Integrated News