TUBAJON, Dinagat Islands — Authorities have officially concluded search and retrieval operations following the crash of a Cessna aircraft that claimed the lives of its two occupants, after responders recovered human remains and debris from the mountainous crash site.
The ill-fated aircraft, identified as RP-C2444, a Cessna 182 Skylane, went down on the afternoon of April 8, 2026, while en route from Subic to Siargao Island. Residents in upland areas of Tubajon reported hearing a loud explosion at around 1:00 p.m., which was later confirmed to be the aircraft crashing into a mountain area along the boundary of Barangays Mabini and Navarro.
After two days of intensive operations, search and retrieval efforts were formally terminated at around 4:30 p.m. on April 9, 2026, upon the directive of Tubajon Mayor Simplicia “Fely” Pedrablanca. The decision came after responders, operating under a unified command system through the Incident Management Team (IMT), recovered suspected human remains believed to belong to the aircraft’s passengers.
Initial findings from the crash site revealed severely fragmented remains, including bones, flesh, and strands of hair of varying lengths, indicating the victims were likely a male and a female. Authorities said the remains are currently undergoing proper verification and identification procedures.
In addition to human remains, responders also retrieved personal belongings and debris believed to be part of the aircraft and its occupants. Officials confirmed that all necessary protocols and assessments had been completed before declaring the operation closed, with the consent of both the victims’ immediate families and the local government unit.
The Incident Management Team was officially demobilized following the conclusion of operations, marking the end of a coordinated response involving multiple agencies, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Mayor Pedrablanca commended the dedication and resilience of all responders who worked under difficult conditions to locate and recover the victims.
A representative of the victims’ families expressed gratitude to the barangay, municipal, and provincial governments, as well as national agencies and community volunteers, for their support and commitment throughout the mission.
The names of the fatalities have not yet been disclosed pending notification of next of kin.
Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo P. Demerey Jr. also extended condolences, assuring that the provincial government and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council remained actively involved from the initial search and rescue phase through the completion of retrieval efforts.
A requiem mass was held on the morning of April 10, 2026, in Tubajon to honor the victims. The ceremony, led by Fr. Arfel Alon and attended by local officials and uniformed personnel, served as a solemn tribute to the lives lost in the tragedy.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash as the community mourns the loss of two lives in the crash.