A plane crashed into a volcano in the Philippines. A possible eruption of the volcano is making it difficult for authorities to search for missing people.
According to the AFP news agency and the Manila Times on the 19th (local time), a Cessna 340 that departed for Manila from Bicol International Airport in Albay, central Philippines, went missing shortly after takeoff.
A total of four people were on board, including two Australian nationals. The plane was found crashed into the active volcano Mayon, with all passengers missing.
The Manila-based Energy Development Corporation said the missing plane belonged to the company and was trying to determine if it was the same plane found at the volcano.
The local police sent a rescue team to search for survivors, but it is reported that the crash site is only 300 to 350 meters away from the crater and there is a possibility of a volcanic eruption.
Eric Apollonio, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), told AFP that the poor weather was making it difficult for ground search teams to secure visibility. Albay Disaster Management Officer Cedric Depp told local radio station DZBB that “a sudden volcanic eruption could increase the number of casualties”.
Authorities plan to conduct an aerial search the next day as well. “We are considering the possibility that the occupants may be alive,” Depp added.
Previously, a series of airline accidents occurred in the Philippines. Last month, a Philippine Air Force training plane crashed mid-flight, killing two pilots. In addition, a light plane with six people on board went missing four minutes after takeoff, and authorities began searching for it.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.