Male nurse who died in Calamba plane crash was set to leave for US to work

The male nurse who died in the medevac plane crash in Calamba City, Laguna on Sunday was set to leave soon for the US to work there.

According to a report on GMA News' Unang Balita on Tuesday, the victim identified as Kirk Owen Badiola almost had his dream fulfilled with a job in the US when the crash occurred in Barangay Pansol.

Badiola, a native of Baao town, Camarines Sur, was the eldest of three siblings and was helping provide for their family.

His mother, Corazon, who was informed of his death via telephone call from his girlfriend, was emotional as she appealed for assistance to have her son's remains brought back home.

"Sana matulungan na mai-transport 'yung labi ng anak ko," she said.

All people aboard the 11-seater King Air 350 medevac plane with tail number RPC 2296, including the pilot, co-pilot, patient, a doctor, two nurses and others, died when it went down on Sunday afternoon. Two people on the ground, caretakers of a hot springs resort, were injured and suffered burns.

Based on initial investigation, the plane came from Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte and was en route to Manila to bring a patient for treatment.

The crash, which was recorded in a cellphone video, occurred past 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said it lost radar contact with the said plane at around 3:10 p.m.

Lion Air, the company which owns the medevac plane, said it will pay for the funeral expenses of the fatalities and hospitalization expenses of the injured. —Margaret Claire Layug/KG, GMA News