No passengers survived the crash of a small Cessna 340 plane, which crashed into the active Mayon volcano in the Philippines on Saturday. Despite the steep terrain, the emergency services were able to find the four bodies of the victims on Thursday, February 23, 2023, five days after the crash.
Shortly after take-off on Saturday, the plane crashed into the western slopes of the crater of Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. A team of rescuers reached the crash site on Wednesday and confirmed that there are no survivors among the people who were on board.
Four people, including two Australians, were on board the Cessna 340A registered RP-C2080, which left for Manila last Saturday from Bicol International Airport, in the central province of Albay and not far from the Mayon volcano.
The plane disappeared shortly after take-off. It crashed on the western slopes of the crater, at an altitude of 1,070 to 1,200 metres, according to the civil aviation authority.
A team of 179 people was mobilised to lower the bodies. The wreckage of the plane was located on Sunday but rain, clouds and the risk of an eruption made access to the crash site difficult. Another rescue team, with experienced climbers, started the ascent of Mayon on foot on Tuesday.
The aircraft belonged to the Manila-based Energy Development Corporation, which employed the two Australians killed in the crash.
