‘Debris’ of missing air ambulance spotted

MANILA, Philippines — Debris believed to be from a medical evacuation helicopter reported missing on Wednesday was spotted yesterday by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the waters off Balabac in Palawan. 

“May nakitang debris ang BRP Malabrigo na pinaniniwalaang part ng yellow bee,” the PCG told reporters in a Viber message, referring to the helicopter, which went missing after picking up a patient from Mangsee Island at around 7:30 a.m. 

The PCG said it is still verifying the report, adding that the Philippine Air Force is helping the BRP Malabrigo in conducting search and rescue operations.

The spotted debris had ”R404A and pentafluoroethane markings,” according to the PCG district office in Palawan. 

The PCG said the helicopter lost contact before noon while en route to the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Brooke’s Point.

The helicopter was carrying a patient and his two relatives, a nurse and the pilot. 

Aside from the BRP Malabrigo and a fixed-wing plane of the PCG, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesman Eric Apolonio said members of its Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board are helping in search and rescue operations.

The missing helicopter is operated by the Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services.

Apolonio said rescuers are tracing the pattern or the flight route of the helicopter.

Cessna plane crash victims retrieved

Meanwhile, the remains of the four passengers of a Cessna plane that crashed on Mayon Volcano were retrieved yesterday.

“As of 3:13 a.m., three of the bodies were brought to Barangay Anoling,” Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo said in a post on Facebook, citing reports from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

 Cedric Daep, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office chief, said the three bodies were brought to a funeral parlor while the remaining cadaver was being brought down.

Daep lauded the responders for setting up anchors and ropes along the rugged terrain of Mayon, which ensured the safe descent of the responders carrying the bodies of the victims.

The owner of the Cessna plane, Energy Development Corp. (EDC), is expected to facilitate the transport of the bodies to Manila and Australia.

Two of the victims, who were consultants of EDC, are Australians. – Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Cet Dematera, Rudy Santos