Thursday, December 5, 2013

Found pilot's body in Puerto Princesa identified

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 5): Found pilot's body in Puerto Princesa identified

The remains of the OV-10 Bronco 630 pilot found still strapped in his seat early Wednesday morning was identified to be that of Maj. Jonathan Ybanez.

Brigadier General Conrado Parra Jr., wing commander of the 570th Composite Tactical Wing and head of Task Force Bronco, disclosed Thursday morning that the police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) helped identified the remains of Ybanez.

The examination and identification of the remains, Parra Jr. said, was made immediately Wednesday night after divers belonging to the task force retrieved the bodty.

Ybanez’ remains will be transported as soon as possible to Manila to reunite with the family he left behind, said the air force general.

Parra Jr. said the discovery of Ybanez’ remains have given the TFB hope that Lt. Abner Trust Nacion’s own may not be too far from the location where the major was found.

He said that although the search operation continues, they will make the BM Beach area as the focus to find the lieutenant.

Ybanez’ remains were discovered still strapped in his seat with his flight suit and helmet following an inspection dive of the main wreckage of the OV-10 Bronco 630 on Wednesday morning.

Parra Jr. said the inspection dive was done to ensure that the main wreckage did not move before the 15th Strike Wing arrives to conduct retrieval operations.

Meanwhile, newly-installed Western Command (Wescom) chief Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda called on families of the missing pilots and other individuals to wait for the investigation of the 15th Strike Wing and avoid speculating on the real cause of the crash of the aircraft.

As former chief of the strike wing, he said that now that the main wreckage has been found, and after it is retrieved, investigation can begin to properly determine the real reason of the unfortunate incident.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=593914

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