LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – Camalig, Albay Mayor Caloy Baldo said on Thursday, Feb. 23, that the bodies of the four people on board the Cessna plane that crashed at the slope of Mayon Volcano have been found.
Baldo said the remains of Capt. Rufino James Crisostomo Jr., mechanic Joel G. Martin, and Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santhanam were located by “locals” around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22.
However, Baldo, incident commander for the Cessna search and rescue operation, said that they need more personnel for the relay system to be implemented in the retrieval of the victims.
In a radio interview, he said that since the location where the victims were found is too far from the command center, a relay system will be implemented through the help of different agencies and even locals.
They are outside and scattered from the wreckage of the Cessna plane, according to Baldo.
He said that the rescue team is composed of personnel from various agencies, including local mountaineers and guides.
Baldo expects that the cadaver of the victims will arrive at the command center by Thursday noon or afternoon.