US says yes to DFA’s help request in search for missing plane, student pilot

FOREIGN AFFAIRS Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. on Sunday reached out to the United States for assistance in locating a missing plane and student pilot in Aurora. “We need a special satellite image that can penetrate jungle to detect plane’s aluminum,” Mr. Locsin told the US Embassy in the Philippines and Ambassador Sung Y. Kim via social media. “CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) has no capability whatsoever in this weather for this mission,” he said. The US Embassy responded on the same day to Mr. Locsin’s request, saying in a social media post that it “is ready to assist. We’ve been in touch with Philippine authorities to determine what assistance is needed and how we can help.” A student pilot from OMNI Aviation Corp. has been missing since July 28, after leaving for Clark Airport from Baler, Aurora. — Charmaine A. Tadalan