A Philippine air force fighter jet carrying two pilots went missing during a nighttime combat assault supporting ground forces fighting insurgents in a southern province, officials reported on Tuesday.
The FA-50 jet lost contact during a tactical operation around midnight on Monday before reaching its intended target. Efforts to locate the jet are currently underway.
“We remain hopeful of locating both the pilots and the aircraft soon and kindly ask for your prayers during this critical period,” stated Philippine air force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo.
The other aircraft involved in the mission returned safely to an air base in central Cebu province, and no further details were disclosed due to security concerns.
The incident occurred during an anti-insurgency operation against communist rebels, as confirmed by a Philippine military official who spoke to The Associated Press.
It was not immediately clear if the other FA-50s would be grounded following this incident.
The Philippines acquired a fleet of 12 FA-50 multi-purpose fighter jets from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. for 18.9 billion pesos, or $331 million, starting deliveries in 2015. The acquisition was considered a significant part of a military modernization program that had previously been delayed due to insufficient funding.
