A US military plane crash in Maguindanao on Thursday claimed four lives. The Beechcraft King Air 300 crashed into a rice farm in Ampatuan town, killing the pilot and three passengers.
A spokesperson for the US Embassy, Kanishka Gangopadhyay, confirmed the incident. “We can confirm that a US military contracted aircraft crashed in Maguindano del Sur on Feb. 6,” Gangopadhyay told the Inquirer. He did not provide further details and directed inquiries to the US Indo-Pacific Command.
As of 8 p.m. Thursday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines had not released any additional information.
Details of the Aircraft
The plane involved in the crash was identified as a Beechcraft King Air 300, registered under the body number N349CA. The aircraft is owned by Metrea Special Aerospace ISR Inc., a company based in Bethany, Oklahoma, that provides airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services.
A search on flight tracking website flightaware.com revealed the plane’s details.
Rescue Operations and Victims Identified
Ameer Jehad Ambolodto, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer of Maguindanao del Sur, confirmed that rescue teams recovered four bodies from the wreckage. The crash site was in the rice paddies of Barangay Malatimon, with the bodies retrieved around 4 p.m.
Rescuers described the victims as “Caucasians.” Photos shared with the Inquirer showed a Caucasian-looking man lying near the plane wreckage. Local civic leader Bobby Benito confirmed that the fatalities appeared to be foreigners, though their identities have not been released.
Former Ampatuan Mayor Datu Rasul Sangki also confirmed that four bodies had been retrieved from the crash site.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Crash
Villagers who witnessed the crash shared their accounts. They reported that the plane had been circling the skies above the towns of Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan, and Datu Hofer before it crashed.
“We heard a very strong thud and found the plane in an open rice field,” said one resident. Another eyewitness added that there was no explosion, just a small amount of smoke emanating from the wreckage.
In a tragic twist, the plane struck a carabao, a water buffalo, as it crashed. The animal’s snout was severed from the impact, and it later died from blood loss, according to locals.
Difficulties in Reaching the Crash Site
The crash site was located just 3 kilometers from the town hall of Mamasapano, but authorities faced delays in reaching the location.
The area’s circuitous road network, cutting through rice fields, made it difficult for emergency responders to reach the site quickly.
Investigation and Ongoing Efforts
As of now, authorities are focused on gathering more information about the crash. While the cause remains under investigation, the US military and Philippine aviation officials are expected to conduct a thorough probe into the incident.
The US Embassy has assured that all necessary support will be provided for the investigation, while local authorities continue to coordinate with the families of the victims. The tragic crash has left the community in shock, and many are waiting for further updates as officials work to determine what led to the accident.
