A US-hired surveillance plane crashed into the Philippines on Thursday morning, killing all four employees on board, including a US military service member, according to the US Indo-Pacific command.
The accident occurred in Maguindanao del Sur, in the southern region of the Philippines. Images from the scene of the accident, confirmed by a US defense officer, show the wreckage of a Beechcraft King Air 350 in a rice field.
The officer reported that the member of the dead service in the accident was a US naval market. It is unclear whether the three defense contractors were also American citizens.
The twin-engine turbollar aircraft was hired by the Defense Department to conduct intelligence, surveillance and recognition at the request of the Philippines, said the Indo-Pacific command.
The accident occurred during a “routine mission” and the cause is under investigation.
The aircraft is registered with Metrea Special Aerospace ISR, Inc., according to publicly available data.
Metrea’s website shows a Beechcraft King Air 350 – the type of aircraft that has fallen – and announces “integrated and ready for use of intelligence, surveillance and aerotransported (AISR) for our defense partners.”
The accident occurred one day after the new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to make his first connection with his Philippines colleague, National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., according to a reading, the two discussed the importance of the dissuasion at sea southern China and the improvement of Philippine Military Capacities.
This content was originally published on US -hired surveillance plane falls on the Philippines, killing four on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
