White object sighted as search, rescue ops continue for missing Cessna plane

January 27, 2023 - Friday 7:01 PM by Aira Miranda

A white object believed to be the missing Cessna aircraft was spotted in Divilacan, Isabela on January 27 amid ongoing search and rescue operations, according to a local official.

In a press conference, Constante Foronda, head of the Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), stated that bad weather prevents search and rescue teams from gaining a clear view of the object spotted in the mountainous areas of Barangay Dicaruyan.

A farmer reportedly told authorities that he saw a plane flying near Maconacon Airport, the destination of the Cessna plane RPC1174 that vanished on January 24, carrying six passengers.

“Meron siyang [farmer] eroplanong nakitang lumilipad to Maconacon Airport and then it went to the right, made a loop and appeared to him na in distress 'yung aircraft (The farmer saw a plane flying to Maconacon Airport and then it went to the right, made a loop and appeared to him that the aircraft was in distress),” Foronda said.

A member of the family of one of the missing aircraft's passengers was able to reach his phone number until it became unattended later.

Within 20 kilometers of the cell site in Maconacon, a mountainous region between Maconacon and Divilacan, Isabela, the location of the mobile phone number was determined.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) stated that it conducts search and rescue operations in close coordination with the relevant government agencies.

"As weather conditions are expected to improve today (Friday), the search and rescue (SAR) team will continue their attempt to find the said missing aircraft," it said.