AN aircraft which crashed in the province of Maguindanao del Sur last Thursday, Feb. 6, has been used by American military for intelligence gathering and surveillance.

A statement released on Feb. 7 by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs through the US Embassy in the Philippines Information Office stated that the plane was contracted by the U.S. Department of Defense.

“The aircraft was providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of our Philippine allies.  The incident occurred during a routine mission in support of U.S.-Philippine security cooperation activities,” the statement said.

“We can confirm no survivors of the crash.  There were four personnel on board, including one U.S. military service member and three defense contractors,” it added.

The statement went on to say that the cause of the crash was still under investigation, and that the names of the crew were withheld pending notification of their next of kin.

Meanwhile, a report by the Philippine News Agency on Feb. 6 said that emergency responders recovered the bodies of four victims from the wreckage of the Beechcraft King Air 300 with aircraft registration number N349CA after it crashed in a rice field in Ampatuan town.

Ameer Jehad Ambolodto, the provincial disaster response officer, described the victims as “Caucasian-looking men.”

Eyewitnesses reportedly saw the aircraft flying low over Ampatuan, as if surveying the area, before it suddenly nose-dived into an open field in Barangay Malatimon.

Videos circulating on social media showed the wreckage, along with a water buffalo that was fatally injured in the crash.

Police and military personnel have secured the crash site while awaiting investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the report added.

CRASH SITE. Police and military personnel inspect the wreckage of an aircraft that crashed in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Feb. 6, killing all four passengers on board. (Photo courtesy of Bhengs B. Salinogen)