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All passengers of a downed Cessna 340 plane found near Mayon Volcano's crater have died, Camalig Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo confirmed Thursday.

"Hindi na po search and rescue. Retrieval na po ang operation ngayon kasi napuntahan na kahapon yung mga sakay ng eroplano. Wala na po talagang buhay. Nandun po yung apat na pasahero natin," he said in a TeleRadyo interview.

The mayor said a retrieval team had difficulties reaching the crash site, located at an elevation of 3,500 to 4,000 feet on the west side slope of Mayon, due to the volcano's rough terrain.

"Challenge pa sa atin kung paano ibababa ang mga pasahero ng eroplano," he said.

• Rescuers hirap na marating ang plane crash site sa bahagi ng Mayon Volcano

Richard Tantoco, president and chief operating officer of EDC, also confirmed the passing of the four passengers.

"We mourn the confirmed passing of our dear colleagues, pilot Captain Rufino James Crisostomo Jr., Joel G. Martin, Simon Chipperfield, and Karthi Santhanam, who were all aboard the Aircraft RPC-2080 that was reported missing early Saturday morning shortly after taking off from the Bicol International Airport," he said in a statement.

"Our heartfelt sympathies go to their families and friends during this difficult time."

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday confirmed that the wreckage found near Mayon Volcano's crater was the Cessna 340 plane that went missing in Bicol over the weekend.

• CAAP confirms Mayon wreckage is missing Cessna plane

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio told ANC that their investigators confirmed the wreckage after they identified the markings from the missing aircraft using footage from an infrared camera.

Investigators were able to reach the area through a Philippine Air Force (PAF) Black Hawk helicopter, he said.

The Cessna 340 plane went missing on Saturday morning, just 3 minutes after taking off from the Bicol International Airport.

The plane had 4 souls on board: a pilot, co-pilot, and 2 Australian nationals who were consultants of the power firm Energy Development Corporation (EDC).

Apolonio had earlier said that despite 2 Cessna planes going missing in Bicol and Isabela since January, there was no reason to suspend their operations in the country.

• CAAP says no reason to ground Cessna planes in PH

He also noted that an investigation was underway as to why the downed Cessna plane was found along the slopes of Mayon, as the volcano is considered a no-fly zone.

—With a report from Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News