AUTHORITIES yesterday said the suspected wreckage of the private Cessna plane with six people onboard that went missing after takeoff in Isabela last Wednesday has been spotted.
Joshua Hapinat, spokesman of the Isabela provincial government, said the information was reported yesterday to the provincial risk reduction and management office (PDRRMO).
“From a vantage point at Kilometer 25, Ilagan-Divilacan Road, people spotted an object that could be a wreckage on a mountainside near (Barangay) Sapinit,” said Hapinat.
Hapinat later clarified the vantage point was at Kilometer 20.
Hapinat said ground search and rescue teams have been dispatched to the area to check the information.
“The area is very accessible. We have sent a team to verify (the information), they (team members) were dispatched this morning,” said Hapinat.
Capt. Rigor Pamitan, spokesman of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, said the information cannot be verified through military aircraft because it was cloudy in the area.
“The information about the suspected wreckage in Sapinit was received today… Our search and rescue (personnel) are proceeding to the area and we’re waiting for updates,” said Pamitan.
“Our goal is to reach the area today (later yesterday),” added Pamitan.
Authorities are also conducting a search at two other areas where the plane possibly crashed — one in Barangay Dicaruyan and the other in Barangay Ditarum, both in Divilacan.
Pamitan said they have difficulty conducting the search because aerial search is being hampered by bad weather.
Pamitan said the effort is focused more on ground search and personnel are navigating a mountainous area with cliffs and rivers. “It’s really forested,” he said.
The plane took off from Cauayan airport in Isabela last Tuesday afternoon but was declared missing later in the afternoon after it failed to reach its destination in Maconacon, Isabela.
Onboard were pilot Capt. Eleazar Mark Joven and passengers Tom Josthle Manday, Val Kamatoy, Mark Eiron Siguerra, Xam Siguerra and Josefa Perla Espana.
“Up to now, we don’t know what happened to the six (people on board),” said Pamitan.
“We cannot conclude if they are all dead because we have yet to see their bodies,” said Hapinat.
