Pilots Dead.
May 19, 2012 |
| Photo showing similar PAF SF260TP 29-06 (706), similar type of which crashed in Bataan, Friday Morning. |
The Philippine Airforce lost a light attack SF.260TP (716) plane
as it crashed off Mariveles, Bataan for unknown reason.
“We confirm that SF260 TP Warrior Number 716 has crashed in the vicinity
of Mariveles,” said Lt. Col. Miguel Okol, spokesman of the Philippine Air Force.
He identified the crew as Maj. Tumaning and Lt. Arugay.
The Navy and Coast Guard personnel have found the
aircraft wreckage near La Monja Island, five kilometers west of Corregidor and between Cavite and Bataan. It was towed towards port for investigation.” says Okol.
According to witnesses who were fishermen at the area the plane tilt sideways before making a nosedive. No smoke nor explosion
was reported.
The Sangley-based SF260 ground attack planes left Cavite at 6:52 a.m. for proficiency flight.
“We’ve found the wreckage at around 7:30 a.m.,” says Mariveles Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Efren Dichoso.
“The impact area which is 3 nautical miles off Mariveles was about 180
feet deep. We recovered a fuel tank, a pilot helmet and one of the seats
of the plane.”Dechoso added said.
Okol explained that the plane was not among those which were acquired by the PAF in 2010.
The Italian-made SF-260 is a propeller-driven, two-seater trainer which the
Air Force bought from supplier Alenia Aermacchi S.p.A. for
P621,671,409.60 and delivered in four batches. The first batch arrived on
Oct. 12, 2010 while the second and third batches were delivered on Nov.
29, 2010 and March 1, 2011, respectively.
Meanwhile, the SF260 TP Warrior bought in 1995 has been
reconfigured from what was originally the PAF’s trainer plane into a
light attack combat utility aircraft after the procurement of new trainers.
The Philippine Air Force has long history with SIAI-Marchetti SF.260. The first SF.260 for PAF arrived in August 1967. All SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 delivered to PAF were brand new from the factory from SIAI-Marchetti factory in Italy.Twenty-seven SIAI-Marchetti SF.260MP were delivered in May 1973 onwards. Most were later reported traded in for SIAI-Marchetti SF.260TP.
Eighteen SIAI-Marchetti SF.260TP were ordered in December 1991 and delivered in July 1993.
Seven of the SIAI-Marchetti SF.260TP were assigned to the 15th Strike Wing and assigned to the 18th Assault Squadron based at Atienza Air Base in the light strike role.
The wreckage of the trainer aircraft that crashed off Bataan last May was retrieved by Philippine Navy last Saturday, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesman Col. Miguel Okol said.
ReplyDeleteThe aircraft was discovered by Navy and volunteer divers some 80 feet below the waters of Mariveles town Saturday morning.
Authorities have yet to find 1Lt. Michael Arugay, the co-pilot of the ill-fated aircraft which remains missing.
The body of Maj. Neil Tumaneng, the plane’s pilot, was retrieved from the waters off La Mongha Island last month.