Authorities have located the wreckage of the missing two-seater Cessna 152 in Luna in Apayao province, the Provincial Government of Apayao confirmed on Thursday, August 3.

In a report posted on its official Facebook page, the Apayao Provincial government said the crashed aircraft was located in the vicinity of Sitio Matad, Brgy. Salvacion Luna, Apayao.

“Earlier today, the Apayao Public Information Office (PIO) drone together with a group of uniformed personnel deployed in Barangay, San Jose, Pudtol, with assistance from a local resident, spotted the wreckage," it said.

Upon receiving the information on the sighting, personnel from the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) immediately launched a search, rescue, and retrieval operation (SAR).

The two passengers were found lifeless. They were earlier identified as Capt. Edzel John Lumbao Tabuzo, 24, a pilot instructor, and Anshum Rajkumar Konde, 20, an Indian national and student pilot.

An orange black box was also retrieved from the crash site.

According to the Apayao provincial government, the remains of Tabuzo had been turned over to his family, while the cadaver of Konde has been transmitted to the Indian Embassy in the Philippines.

As of this writing, the cause of the crash has yet to be identified.

On August 1, the Cessna 152 aircraft with body number RP-C8598 was reportedly missing.

Based on the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ (CAAP) report, the aircraft took off from Laoag City Airport in Ilocos.

However, it failed to reach Tuguegarao City airport at 12:30 in the afternoon, the expected arrival time.

CAAP said it did not receive signals of distress from the pilot instructor and the student pilot.