Philippines: Hit the volcano to reach the crash site

Philippine rescue teams set out on Tuesday to climb the steep wall of the active volcano. The wreckage of a small plane that crashed this weekend According to officials, it is not known if there are any survivors. Four people, including two Australians, were on board the missing Cessna 340, bound for Manila (northwest), shortly after takeoff from Bicol International Airport (east), several kilometers from Mayon Volcano.

Civil aviation investigators confirmed Tuesday that the wreckage found on the volcano during a reconnaissance mission over the weekend was the missing plane. It is not known whether any of the passengers survived.

The Manila-based Energy Development Corporation earlier said it owned the missing plane. The two Australians on board worked as technical advisers to the company.

Explosion hazard

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the plane was “3,500 to 4,000 feet” (1,070 to 1,200 meters) above sea level on the western slope of the volcano. CAAP spokesman Eric Apollonio said a high-resolution camera was used to identify the wreckage.

However, bad weather and the threat of volcanic eruption delayed the rescue mission to reach the accident site. Helicopter efforts by rescue teams were canceled on Tuesday due to high winds and cloud cover, officials said.

At the same time, search and rescue teams, including experienced mountaineers, set out on the walls of the volcano. They should reach the crash site on Wednesday, said Carlos Balto, mayor of the municipality of Kamalik, whose territory the crash site is in.

“It’s a very dangerous operation.”

Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, warned of the risk of a “steam-induced eruption or (rock slide).” “This is a very dangerous operation,” he told AFP, adding that “only a trained and experienced team should be involved in this rescue operation.”

Jorge Cardovilla, one of the climbers on the rescue team, had already climbed Mayon several times, but found the climb difficult and spoke of the risk of “rock fall”. This aerial incident occurs less than a month after the disappearance of another Cessna, on January 24, in Isabela province (north). Eric Apollonio said the search for the wreckage is ongoing.

(AFP)