The Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) confirmed on Tuesday, Dec. 5, that authorities have found the Piper plane that went missing after it took off from Cauayan Airport in Isabela province last week.
Atty. Watu Foronda, head of Isabela PDRRMO, confirmed the news to the DZRH's Sherwin Alfaro.
"Piper plane has been found by PAF [Philippine Air Force] Sokol helicopter. However, the chopper cannot get close enough to determine the condition of the occupants," Foronda said.
"The IMT [Incident Management Team] is carefully studying its next move," he added.
The Isabela PDRRMO head did not give further details, particularly the specific location of the missing Piper plane and whether or not the onboard pilot and the one passenger survived.
BREAKING: Iniulat ni Atty. Watu Foronda, pinuno ng Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office na nakita na ang nawawalang Piper plane sa Isabela simula pa noong November 30, Huwebes. | via RH06 @sherwinalfaro #SamaSamaTayoPilipino pic.twitter.com/SZHhpkSRGq
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) December 5, 2023
On Thursday, Nov. 30, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported that the Cyclone Airways' Pipper plane with a tail number PA-32-300 failed to arrive at the expected time in Palanan Airport, Isabela.
CAAP said the Piper plane, carrying a pilot and one passenger, took off at exactly 9:39 AM at Cauayan Airport in Isabela.
The plane was reportedly operated by Fliteline Airways.
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio told DZRH in an interview that the missing plane has no emergency transmitter installed, a device that enables authorities to find its location in instances that it might crash or falls into the water.
He also mentioned that missing plane may been a result of bad weather.
"Malaking factor iyan [sama ng panahon] dahil unang-una, biglang nawala. Yung radar namin dito sa Laoag at saka sa Zubic, wala eh hindi talaga namin ma-trace talaga," Apolonio said.
