Camp Pendleton, California – An American sailor from California was identified by military officers on Sunday as one of the four people killed when a plane hired by the United States Army crashed into a rice field in southern Philippines.
Sergeant Jacob M. Durham, 22, of Long Beach, died Thursday in the accident of an plane that was carrying out a routine mission “providing intelligence, surveillance and recognition support at the request of our Philippian allies”, officials from Camp Pendleton, California. , he said in a statement. The authorities said the cause of the accident was under investigation.
Three defense contractors were also killed in the accident, said military officials.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines confirmed the accident of a light plane in the province of Maguindanao del Sur. The bodies of the four people were recovered from the remains in the city of Ampatuan, said Amer Jehad Tim Ambolodto, a South Maguindanao Security officer.
US forces have been deployed in a Filipino military camp in the south of the country to help provide training and advice to the Philippine Forces fighting Muslim militants. The region is the home of minority Muslims in the Catholic nation in a large part Roman.
Windy Beaty, a provincial disaster mitigation officer, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he received reports that residents saw smoke from the plane and listened to an explosion before the plane collapsed to the ground at approximately half a mile of a group of a group of farms.
Durham was trained as an electronic intelligence analyst/electromagnetic war assigned to the 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Group, authorities said. He joined the Marines in January 2021 and was promoted to his current range on February 1.
The Durham Awards include the Marine and Marine's body medal, the Marines' body medal, a medal of the National Defense Service, a meritorious mast and naval crew badge, officials said officials.
“Sergeant. Durham embodied the highest traditions of Marines' body, exemplifying the composure, intelligence and selfless leadership, ”Lieutenant Colonel Mabel B. Annunziata, an officer under the command of the 1st Radio Battalion, said in the statement. “He was deeply respected and loved by his fellow Marines.”
