MANILA, Philippines -- Officials of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) have clarified that the search continues for a trainer jet and pilots that disappeared off the disputed Kalayaan Island Group two months ago.
Lieutenant General Pedrito Cadungog, PAF's newly installed commanding general, said in a statement that “the PAF search is still on and efforts to locate the aircraft and its pilots haven't ceased.”
PAF lost one of its five S-211 trainer jets on November 26 when it suddenly lost contact with its tandem plane while on a search mission over the South China Sea off the KIG.
Two S-211 jets were deployed that morning to look for fishermen who were lost at sea after their boat capsized off the island group amid turbulent weather. Only the lead plane returned to base and reported that it lost contact with its wingman.
On board the missing aircraft were Captain Gavino Mercado Jr. and Captain Bonifacio Soriano III.
“We still continue the search. The aircraft and ships that were involved during prior operations pursue the search whenever they have other mission flights to KIG... since they pass through the same [flight path],” said Major Federico Ferrero Jr., information chief of the PAF base in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, the nearest to KIG.
PAF, Philippine Navy and Coast Guard vessels have been searching the seas for the PAF aircraft and pilots while looking for fishermen who disappeared off the islands, Ferrero said.
He further denied speculations the PAF jet might have been shot down by foreign military as the Air Force had clearance and authority to fly through air space over the disputed island group.
Ferrero said the PAF report on the incident ruled that the missing plane's pilots could have encountered “spatial disorientation,” a mid-flight confusion that could have caused them to lose control of the jet.
