Debris from PAF plane that crashed in Palawan found, pilots still missing

From GMA News (Jun 24): Debris from PAF plane that crashed in Palawan found, pilots still missing

The Philippine Air Force has confirmed that the OV-10 Bronco plane reported missing since Sunday night has crashed off Puerto Princesa airport in Palawan province.

PAF spokesman Col. Miguel Okol said search operations are ongoing for the two pilots, after teams from the Navy and Coast Guard found debris including the OV-10's cargo bay door at about 9 a.m. Monday.

"What we can confirm (is that the OV-10) went down already,” Okol said in an interview on dzBB radio. “That is something we know for sure.”

The plane was one of two aircraft — OV-10 #630 and OV-10 #139 —  that went on a night proficiency flying mission Sunday, Okol said.

“At about 7:30PM, OV-1 0 #630 lost contact w/ Palawan Tower and failed to land back while OV-10 #139 landed safely after 53 minutes,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online, citing an official report received by PAF.

Tracking device

In a phone interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, Okol said they have identified the aircraft's "last known position" as it was equipped with a tracking device.

"Actually, alam natin kung saan 'yung last known position ng mishap aircraft, kasi ang aircraft natin is equipped with a tracking device so namo-monitor po ng punong himpilan at ng area command," he said.

He said the last known transmission of the plane was when it requested for "final approach" at Runway 27 at the Palawan airport 53 minutes after the first aircraft landed.

He added that though the plane was also equipped with an ejection seat, he has yet to verify if there have been sighting of parachute use in the area.

"What we have right now are the debris and the last known position palang po ang masasabi naminm," Okol said.

Search for missing pilots

In the text message, Okol said “rescue teams from the Philippine Navy of Naval Forces West and PCG Vessel 3503 are already at the vicinity conducting search and rescue (operations).”

The Coast Guard has already deployed frogmen to the site off the eastern coast of Puerto Princesa where the plane was believed to have gone down to help search for the missing pilots, according to PCG Palawan district head Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, in a report from radio dzBB's Palawan affiliate James Viernes

Okol said the recovered debris appeared to have drifted northward.

Naval Forces West head Commodore Joseph Peña said they are concentrating their efforts in an area some 11 nautical miles east of the Puerto Princesa Airport where the two planes took off.

"We're trying to pinpoint the crash site," Peña said in an interview on dzBB.

Local fishermen are also helping in the search for the pilots, Peña said.

Okol said the pilots' relatives had been notified, but added the PAF still cannot make the pilots' names public at this time.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/314236/news/regions/debris-from-paf-plane-that-crashed-in-palawan-found-pilots-still-missing