Missing pilot’s helmet found

MANILA, Philippines - For now, only the helmet of one of the two missing pilots of an Air Force OV-10 Bronco plane that crashed off Puerto Princesa City, Palawan has been found.

The remains of Maj. Jonathan Ybañez and 1Lt. Abner Trust Nacion have yet to be recovered, along with the plane’s wreckage, and the Joint Task Force Bronco has widened its search southward to include Rasa Island.

1Lt. Cheryl Tindog, spokeswoman of the Armed Forces’ Western Command, yesterday said a fisherman found the helmet some two nautical miles from Sombrero Island.

“The recovered helmet was confirmed to be the headgear of one of the missing pilots. It’s now with the investigating team,” Tindog said.

Still doing the search are two Navy ships, a Coast Guard vessel, and technical divers of the Navy Special Operations Group.