Authorities have expanded search for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and his two companions to nearby coastal areas in Bicol, Office of Civil Defense chief Benito Ramos said Monday.
Ramos said the Army's 9th Infantry Division is overseeing search in the areas of Burias Island in Masbate and nearby coastal towns of Matnog, Bulan, and Donsol in Sorgsogon and Pasacao in Camarines.
Ramos said it was possible that Robredo and the two pilots were swept by the strong current.
Divers are also scouring the waters of Masbate Bay for any sign of the missing plane.
Deeper search
American and Philippine deep-sea divers were scheduled to dive deeper, covering an area as wide as 16-square-kms, in the continuing search.
Deep-sea divers are set cover an area of 4-kilometers by 4-kilometers, employing nitrox (nitrogen oxygen) diving equipment, President Benigno Aquino III's official Twitter account said Monday.
The first dive was scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Nitrox diving maximizes bottom time and surface intervals in the search for any signs of the ill-fated Piper Seneca plane that carried the DILG Secretary. It will allow the divers to stay out longer and to dive deeper.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II said that as of 8:30 a.m., tanks and mixing equipment from Manila had arrived in Masbate City. Helium and pure oxygen also arrived in Masbate City from Cebu. "They'll mix, load tanks, then send off first deep dive team in about two hours." Roxas tweeted.
source: interaksyon.com
