Retrieval teams face challenges bringing 4 bodies down from Mayon

CAMALIG Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo said efforts to retrieve the bodies of four passengers who perished from the Cessna plane crash will continue despite the challenges with the terrain and the weather up in Mayon Volcano.

 “Mahirap talaga yung padoon, yung area, kasi pag inaangat nila nang kaunti yung body, medyo dadausdos pababa yung mga boulder doon. Kaya hindi mababa,” he explained.

The local chief executive said retrieval teams were able to take photos and videos of the area, and have even obtained some of the passengers’ belongings.

“Ang plano po natin ngayon, kasi hindi na kayang tao lang ang walang kinakapitan, maglalagay po tayo ng mga bolt and mga expanded bolt, idi-drill po natin yan sa mga bato, kung may mga stable na bato doon…para kung sakali man yung tao natin ay (may) hahawakan,” he said.

The crash site is located at an elevation of 3,500 to 4,000 feet on the west side slope of Mayon.

The Cessna 340 plane went missing on Saturday morning, just 3 minutes after taking off from the Bicol International Airport.

All four passengers on board were a pilot, co-pilot, and 2 Australian nationals who were consultants of the power firm Energy Development Corporation (EDC) died from the crash.