US Surveillance Plane Crash in Philippines Kills Four, Including US Marine
A US-contracted surveillance plane crashed in Maguindanao del Sur in the southern Philippines on Thursday morning, killing all four personnel on board, CNN reports.
US Indo-Pacific Command confirmed the fatalities, which included one US Marine.
The twin-engine turboprop aircraft, identified as a Beechcraft King Air 350, was operating under contract with the US Department of Defense, conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) at the request of the Philippine government.
Images from the crash site, verified by a US defense official, depict the wreckage of the aircraft scattered across a rice field. While the US military service member killed was confirmed to be a Marine, it remains unclear whether the three defense contractors on board were also US citizens.
Publicly available data indicates the aircraft is registered to Metrea Special Aerospace ISR, Inc. The company’s website advertises “integrated, turnkey Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (AISR) solutions to our defense partners,” showcasing a Beechcraft King Air 350 similar to the one that crashed.
The incident occurred just one day after newly appointed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held his first call with his Philippine counterpart, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. According to a readout of the call, the two defense leaders discussed the importance of deterrence in the South China Sea and explored avenues to enhance the capabilities of the Philippine military.
