All four passengers of the ill-fated Cessna airplane that crashed in Bicol have all been found dead, according to Camalig Mayor Carlos Baldo.

In an interview over radio station DZBB, Mayor Baldo said that the bodies were found near the crash site, which the wreckage of the plane was found near the crater of Mayon Volcano.

This now mean that they will be shifting their operation from rescue to retrieval.

“Natagpuan na po ‘yung apat na sakay ng eroplanong bumagsak po doon sa may crater ng Mayon, sa ngayon po retrieval na lang po kami,” he said.

“Nandun lang sila sa may pinagbagsakan pero hindi doon sa loob ng eroplano,” Baldo added.

He admitted that the challenge is now the trek going down the volcano due to its treacherous terrain.

Baldo said that the bodies will be brought down the volcano on foot due to the terrain.

But they will make use of whatever they can. He also estimated the travel to take more than four hours.

Baldo said their mission is the bodies as they will leave the aircraft to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

The CAAP on Saturday said that Bicol International Airport air traffic controllers lost contact with a Cessna 340 airplane carrying four people — the pilot, a crew member, and two passengers.

CAAP said the Cessna 340 (Caravan) aircraft with registry number RP-C2080 departed Bicol International Airport at 6:43 a.m.