Manila: A light aircraft carrying the interior secretary of the Philippines crashed on Saturday in the country. While an aide was rescued, the secretary and two pilots were missing, Xinhua reported.
The five-seater plane carrying Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo crashed near an airport in Masbate city in central Philippines' Masbate province, according to ABS-CBN TV.
The interior and local government department said Robredo was on a plane from Cebu to Naga.
The pilots sent a distress call to Masbate airport around 5 pm, requesting for an emergency landing.
However, the plane did not make it to the airport and crashed in the Masbate Bay.
ABS-CBN said Robredo's aide Jun Abrazado was rescued from the crash site.
Masbate City vice-governor Vince Revi said a search operation was going on, but could not determine the status of Robredo and the other passengers.
IANS
First Published: Saturday, August 18, 2012, 18:15