Authorities have launched an overflight search and rescue mission over the waters of Indonesia as part of search and rescue (SAR) efforts to locate the missing passengers of motorbanca Amejara.

The Philippine Navy has started conducting extensive visual search operations using a Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft beyond the Philippine-Indonesia common maritime border.

The mission was carried out after the Indonesian government granted permission for overflight SAR operations.

Meanwhile, surface patrols and visual searches continue in the waters off Sarangani toward Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, and up to the Philippines-Indonesia maritime boundary line.

“Kung mapapansin niyo, sa baba na natin ang Basilan, nandun na tayo sa Zamboanga na AOR, ang inooperate natin. Tuloy-tuloy po ang operation natin kasama ang Phil. Navy,” Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSEM) Commander, Commodore Philipps Soria, said.

CGDSEM added that SAR operations will continue in the hope of locating more survivors.

“Kita din po natin na meron tayong breakthroughs. Hindi man everyday but continuous din po ang breakthroughs natin na meron tayong nakikita sa mga area. That is why we continue to conduct search and rescue operation. Hindi pa po tayo nagshi-shift to any type of operations,” Soria added.

Nine individuals remain missing, as of this writing. Four of the six bodies recovered earlier have been identified – four of whom were confirmed passengers while the two have yet to be identified.

Authorities said the results of the investigation being conducted by the Marine Safety Investigation and Incident Investigation team are expected to be submitted about a week after the termination of the SAR operations.