2 pilots dead as wreckage of missing Philippine fighter jet found

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - The wreckage of a Philippine Air Force F-50 fighter jet that went missing during a tactical night mission was discovered at Mt. Kalatungan in the southern province of Bukidnon, the military confirmed Wednesday.

Both pilots onboard lost their lives in the crash, according to a report by the Manila Times.

The jet was located at 11 a.m. local time (0300GMT), Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista, spokesperson for the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said in a statement. However, details about the aircraft’s condition were not disclosed.

An aerial reconnaissance team spotted two bodies near the crash site, he added.

The fighter jet went missing on Tuesday during a tactical night operation as ground troops engaged in clashes with members of the New People's Army, a Maoist armed group, in Bukidnon.