Four killed in Maguindanao del Sur plane crash

A small plane crashed on a farm in Maguindanao del Sur on Thursday, killing four people on board, authorities said.

Police said they had not yet determined the cause of the crash of the fixed-wing aircraft in Barangay Malatimon, Ampatuan town. None of those killed have so far been identified.

According to the U.S. Embassy, an American military-contracted aircraft was involved in the accident.

"We can confirm that a US military contracted aircraft crashed in Maguindanao del Sur on February 6," U.S. Embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay said in a statement to GMA News Online.

Gangopadhyay did not provide further details.

"For further information, we refer you to US Indo-Pacific Command," he said.

The plane struck a water buffalo during the crash, causing severe injuries to the animal, regional police spokesman Jopy Ventura told AFP.

Municipal rescuer Rhea Martin said they found four dead bodies at the crash site, which has been cordoned off by the authorities.

"The bodies were found near the plane," she told AFP, adding, "The plane was cut in half."

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines confirmed the crash of an unspecified aircraft but said they had no other details.

This is the second aircraft accident to occur in the country this month.

Last Saturday, a helicopter crashed in Guimba, Nueva Ecija, killing the female pilot who was the only person on board. —Agence France-Presse/with a report from Michaela del Callar/VBL, GMA Integrated News