A Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter jet and its crew went missing during a night training mission near Cebu, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
According to an AFP report, citing the PAF, the two-seater aircraft lost communication with fellow jets just minutes before it was expected to reach its target area. The aircraft had taken off from Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base, which operates alongside Cebu’s main airport.
Search and rescue operations are now underway, with all available resources deployed to locate the missing jet and its crew.
“Our top priority is the safe recovery of our aircrew,” the PAF said in a statement.
The FA-50 is part of the Philippines’ fleet of 12 fighter jets purchased from South Korea over the past decade.
