The families of two men on board a light plane that crashed in the Philippines have spoken of their heartbreak, a day after the pair were confirmed dead.
Key points:
- The families of two Adelaide men killed in a light plane crash in the Philippines have released a statement
- Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santhanam were among four people on board a twin-engine Cessna that crashed on Saturday
- Their families thanked search and rescue teams
Four men, including South Australians Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santhanam, were on board the twin-engine Cessna when it crashed on Saturday.
The plane took off from Bicol International Airport on Saturday morning, and had been due to land in Manila just over an hour later, but lost contact with the control tower.
Rescue efforts had been hampered by weather conditions and the remoteness of the location, but on Thursday Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong confirmed crews had reached the crash site and there were no survivors.
Pilot Rufino James Crisostomo Jr and crew member Joel Martin were also killed in the crash.
Two soldiers involved in the search were also shot dead in what local authorities described as a suspected terrorist attack by communist insurgents.
Mr Chipperfield and Mr Santhanam were employed by Manila-based geothermal company Energy Development Corporation as technical consultants.
In a statement released on Friday, the families of Mr Chipperfield and Mr Santhanam thanked search and rescue teams and asked for privacy from the media while they grieve.
“Simon and Karthi were kind, intelligent and deeply loved husbands, fathers, sons and brothers,” the statement read.
“Our hearts are broken by our devastating loss; both had so much more to give.
“We offer deep gratitude to the brave Philippine search and rescue teams and to the Australian and Philippine governments for their ongoing support.
“We are strengthened by the outpouring of love and support from around the world.”
