February 6, 2025 – Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur
A private aircraft crashed into a rice field in Barangay Malatimon, Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Thursday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. The incident occurred past 2 p.m., and authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
According to the latest police report at 5 p.m., all four passengers aboard the aircraft perished. The bodies, believed to be those of foreign nationals, have been recovered from the wreckage. Additionally, a carabao in the vicinity was injured, losing part of its snout after being struck by the plane.
The aircraft has been identified as a Raytheon Beechcraft King Air 300, bearing the tail number N349CA. It was reportedly en route from Mactan, Cebu, to Cotabato for an aerial survey when the accident occurred. Some reports also indicate that the aircraft had taken off from Palawan before the incident.
The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines confirmed that the crashed plane had been contracted by the U.S. military. However, Embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay did not provide further details and referred inquiries to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The Maguindanao del Sur Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) has also confirmed the fatalities. As of now, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has yet to release an official statement regarding the cause of the crash and the identities of the victims.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the factors leading to the accident.
