Manila: Rescue operators have managed to locate the wreckage of the Philippine air force C-130 cargo plane one week after it crashed into the southern Philippine sea with 11 people on board, military sources said Friday.

Citing field reports from Task Force Hercules, Navy spokesman Lt Col Edgardo Arevalo said the US navy ship John McDonnell located the wreckage 1.3 nautical miles east of Bucana village in Davao city, about 130 metres under the Davao Gulf.

The US survey ship found the fuselage at around 9.00 p.m. Thursday and the military's primary plan is to retrieve the wreckage, particularly the "black box" to determine the cause of the crash, he said.

The C-130 plane, acquired in 1983 through an US financing programme, crashed soon after takeoff from Davao at around 8 p.m. Aug 25 on its way to pick up members of the Presidential Security Group. Eleven crew members on board are still missing.

A radio report said Friday that despite the cloudy weather, divers were preparing to get to the scene to look for the possible remains of the crew and other debris.

 

Source : IANS