Cessna with 4 people on board missing after takeoff in Albay


A Cessna plane with four people on board went missing, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said on Saturday, Feb 18.

In a statement, the CAAP said the Cessna 340 took off from the Bicol International Airport at 6:43 a.m. on Saturday, with a pilot, a crew and two passengers.

The plane was supposed to head to Manila.

"The last contact with the aircraft was made with air traffic control at 6:46 AM today, while the aircraft was abeam Camalig Bypass Road," the statement read.

The CAAP said various government agencies that include the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) were already informed of the incident for search and rescue operations.

"The CAAP has also dispatched officers from its Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) to assist in the emergency that is now in Distress Phase," the CAAP statement read.