The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported that a medical helicopter bound to a hospital in Palawan went missing today.
The aviation agency said the helicopter took off at 7:30 AM Wednesday to pick up a patient in Mangsee Island in Balabac town in Palawan.
In a statement, CAAP said that the aircraft was on its way to Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Brooke’s Point, Palawan when it was reported missing around 9 AM today.
The medical evacuation flight, with registry no. N45VX and operated by Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services, was expected to arrive at 10:30 AM at the said hospital.
Five passengers were on board the helicopter: the pilot, a nurse, the patient, and two companions.
According to CAAP, search and rescue operations have already begun.
This is the third aircraft to be reported missing in the Philippines this year.
The first one was a Cessna plane in Isabela, and the second was another Cessna plane in Albay, which was later found to have crashed near the crater of Mayon Volcano.
