High-risk volcano search all prepared for Philippine plane with four aboard

An image shared by Filipino Congressman Joey Salceda that purportedly shows the crash site of the missing Cessna plane on the slopes of the Mayon Volcano. - Photo: Facebook/Joey Salceda

MANILA, Feb 20 (AP): Philippine authorities on Monday prepared to send a search mission near the crater of a restive volcano after they spotted the suspected wreckage of a small plane that went missing with four people on board over the weekend.

Two Filipino pilots and two Australians were aboard the Cessna 340, which lost contact after takeoff from Albay province southeast of the capital Saturday morning on its way to Manila, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said.