Manila, Philippines – A Philippine Air Force FA-50 fighter jet and its two-man crew have gone missing while providing support to ground forces engaged in combat against communist rebels in the southern Mindanao region, according to a military official.
Colonel Consuelo Castillo, the Air Force spokesperson, revealed that the jet was flying over land on its way to the target area when it disappeared during a tactical night operation to support the ground troops. Although she did not disclose specific details about the mission, Colonel Louie Dema-ala, the Philippine Army spokesperson, confirmed to Agence France Presse (AFP) that the missing FA-50 was part of a squadron sent to provide air support to troops fighting communist rebels in Bukidnon province, Mindanao.
Lieutenant-Colonel Francisco Garello of the 4th Infantry Division informed AFP that air support was called in overnight during a firefight with the New People’s Army in a mountainous area. He explained that there was a clash between the 403rd Infantry Brigade and the rebels, and they requested air support, which was promptly provided by the Air Force.
While the long-running Maoist insurgency is believed to have fewer than 2,000 guerrilla fighters, the Philippine Air Force stated that the missing jet lost contact with other fighters in the group just minutes before reaching its target area. Although the Air Force has only classified the plane as “missing,” a disaster official in Bukidnon province disclosed to AFP that preparations were being made for community-based forest rangers to search the area where the fighter’s signal was last detected.
Ramil Gulahab, the disaster official, shared that two teams would be sent to the area that night, with one team heading to Mount Kilakiron (2,329 meters) and the other to Mount Kalatungan (2,880 meters), the fifth-tallest mountain in the Philippines. He explained that the teams would conduct a search in the area where the signal was lost, adding that he had been contacted by the Air Force as a reservist.
The missing fighter jet took off from Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base, which shares a runway with the airport in Cebu, the second-largest city in the Philippines. Colonel Consuelo Castillo, the PAF spokesperson, described the incident as the “first major incident” involving its FA-50 squadron, which had previously been used in exercises over the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines acquired a dozen FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea in the last decade.
Expressing optimism, Colonel Castillo conveyed hope for the recovery of the aircraft and crew, stating, “We are still very optimistic that they are safe.”
The FA-50 fighter jets have also participated in joint air patrols with treaty ally the United States over the contested South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have been engaged in increasingly tense confrontations over reefs and waters. Despite a Hague ruling rejecting China’s assertion, Beijing claims almost the entirety of the crucial waterway, which handles trillions of dollars in commerce annually.
Local outlet the Inquirer reported in January that the Philippine government was considering purchasing an additional 12 FA-50 fighter jets.
Unfortunately, the Philippine military has experienced several deadly accidents involving its aircraft in recent years. Last April, two navy pilots lost their lives when their Robinson R22 helicopter crashed near a market south of Manila during a training flight. In January 2023, two PAF pilots were killed when their Marchetti SF260 turboprop plane crashed into a rice field.