American pilot, woman rescued in Ifugao

CAMP MAGILAS, Dupax Del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya — Elements of the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion (IB) rescued an American pilot and his lone passenger after their helicopter made an emergency landing in a remote mountain village in Ifugao last week, military officials based here said yesterday.

Richard Albright, an American pilot, together with a Filipino woman passenger, who were reported missing since Thursday while on board the rented chopper, were rescued in the periphery of Aguinaldo, Ifugao where the pilot made an emergency landing after their aircraft encountered mechanical trouble.

Albright was with Ruby Labadan when the four-seater helicopter, RP-362, they had rented from the Manila-based Summer Institute of Linguistics, went down in Sitio Abagong, Barangay Itab in Aguinaldo, Ifugao.

Lt. Col. Dacy Marilas, 54th IB chief, said Albright and Lapadan took off from Manila Tuesday morning and flew north to a still unknown destination.

Marilas said they were only informed that they were missing by the owners of the aircraft.

"They were safe and sound when our troops found them. The villagers rescued and helped them," he said, adding that his troops are already helping Albright fix the slightly damaged aircraft and assist him bring back the helicopter to its base in Manila.