Missing Cessna in Isabela found — PDRRMO

The missing Cessna aircraft in Isabela has been found, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said Thursday.

“The missing Cessna has just been found,” the PDRRMO said in a message. 

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the wreckage of the plane was discovered at 11:46 a.m. "by the composite teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and with some Dumagat who spotted the ill-fated aircraft in Barangay Ditarum, Divilacan, Isabela." 

"All six passengers of the aircraft did not survive. The Incident Management Team in the area has said that they will now proceed with retrieval operations, but that it may take some time due to environmental and weather conditions," CAAP said. 

"The bodies of the victims will be brought either to a designated area in Divilacan or Maconacon then to Cauayan town," it added. 

Retrieval operations will continue on Friday as CAAP proceeds with its investigation into the incident. 

On January 24, Cessna C206 plane RPC 1174 took off from Cauayan Airport in Isabela at 2:15 p.m. heading for Maconacon town.

On board the light aircraft were its pilot and five passengers.

The pilot last communicated with air traffic controllers at 2:19 p.m. in Naguilian.

The plane was expected to arrive in Maconacon at 2:45 p.m.

Isabela PDRRMO said the weather was clear when the plane left Cauayan Airport, but the wind around Sierra Madre was "turbulent." — RSJ/VBL, GMA Integrated News