The bodies of two pilots from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter jet that crashed in Mt. Kalatungan, Bukidnon, have been recovered, military officials confirmed.
According to Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista, spokesperson for the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command (EASTMINCOM), the aircraft wreckage was first detected through a beacon signal from the pilots. Search and rescue teams later found the pilots’ remains just meters away from the crash site.
A military ambulance from Pangantucan, Bukidnon, was seen arriving at a private funeral home in Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City. However, authorities have yet to confirm whether the bodies transported belong to the pilots.
Following the incident, PAF Spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo stated in an interview with Brigada NewsFM Manila that 11 out of 12 FA-50 fighter jets in the country have been grounded as a precautionary measure.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
