Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20) — A group of mountaineers started their journey on Monday to finally reach the crash site near Mayon Volcano’s crater of the Cessna aircraft that went missing two days ago.
“We have the support of 25 veteran mountaineers. Those mountaineers have been regular trekkers of the volcano, so we are in high hopes that they will be able to reach the actual crash site by foot anytime today,” Camalig public information officer Tim Florece told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Monday.
On Sunday, Camalig Mayor Carlos Baldo said the wreckage of the plane, which carried a pilot, a crew, and two Australian passengers, was found after over 32 hours of disappearance. Air traffic control authorities last contacted the aircraft at 6:46 a.m. Saturday after it took off from Bicol International Airport for Manila at 6:43 a.m.
Florece said the crash site was pinpointed after authorities detected the mobile phone of one of the passengers on Saturday evening through the use of a Global Positioning System or GPS.
“Doon po sa [mobile phone] na-detect ay ‘yung coordinates, so upon assessment of the concerned personnel, natagpuan po na doon ‘yung location,” he explained.
[Translation: Through the mobile phone, the coordinates were detected, so upon assessment of the concerned personnel, the location was found.]
The site is located 350 meters away from the crater of Mayon Volcano, which is currently under Alert Level 2, or “moderate unrest” status. Search and rescue responders were earlier pulled out of the operations due to the risks.
Florece said the mountaineers started travelling to the site at 4 a.m. after receiving a go signal from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The trek is expected to last for seven to eight hours.
Operations are also being challenged by the bad weather condition in Albay. Florece said the Philippine Air Force can only continue its aerial intervention once the weather improves.
So far, neighboring local governments have sent additional manpower to hopefully rescue Pilot Capt. Rufino James Crisostomo Jr., crew Joel G. Martin, and the two Australian passengers — Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santanan.
Their families are expected to arrive in Albay on Monday, Florece said.
