Coast Guard widens search for missing pilots

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday widened its search for two pilots who went missing after their trainer plane crashed in the waters of Bataan.

PCG National Capital Region-Central Luzon (NCR-CL) commander Commodore Cecil Chen said his men reported making “extensive search of 10 square nautical miles grid one nautical miles Southwest of La Monja Island with negative sighting of PAF training plane or crew” identified as Maj. Neil Tumaneng and 1Lt. Michael Arugay.

The Navy Special Operations Group (SOG) has also completed its first dive, at the depth of 180 feet, but found no traces of the two.

Chen said that there were already some people who recommended the termination of the search and rescue operation and that the PCG’s BRP Nueva Vizcaya be allowed to return to headquarters.

Apart from the BRP Nueva Vizcaya, which was positioned at 1.5 nautical miles Southwest of La Monja Island, a PCG rubber boat with six persons, three Navy small ships and two units of Navy SOG rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) are also scouring the crash site.

A helicopter was also seen hovering in the area.

“The search and retrieval operation will go on until we have recovered them,” PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Okol said.

Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, Navy spokesman, said the Navy is now employing a search pattern in Manila Bay using two vessels and an RHIB.

The Air Force has been struggling to modernize its assets, many of which were already decades old. Dozens of airmen have died as a result of accidents involving antiquated aircraft.

The PCG said eyewitnesses who saw the crash did not see any smoke or hear an explosion.

The Warrior Cessna trainer plane reportedly left Sangley Point, Cavite at 6:52 a.m. last Friday. It crashed off La Monja Island in Cavite near Mariveles, Bataan. By 11:45 a.m., fishermen found what appeared to be parts of the ill-fated SF-260 aircraft including fuel tank and a seat.   – With Jaime Laude