Retrieval operations for the bodies of two helicopter crash victims were abandoned on Sunday after strong winds and heavy rains caused zero visibility, preventing rescue helicopters from going over the crash site in the mountainous area of General Nakar in Quezon province.
Rescuers from the Philippine Air Force 505th Search and Rescue Group will attempt to reach the area again early morning today, if good weather prevails.
On Saturday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the single-engine light helicopter AS350B2-type operated by Macroasia Air Taxi Services that went missing on Monday last week was located by search and rescue teams.
CAAP Operations and Rescue Coordinating Center identified the fatalities as Capt. Miguel Logronio and his aircraft mechanic engineer Jay Gregorio.
The two were on a mission to pick-up and rescue several stranded engineers and miners working at the Sumag river diversion tunnel in General Nakar when the accident happened.
Efforts to locate the missing chopper took several days because of the bad weather condition in the area.