MANILA (UPDATE) — The pilot of a missing light Piper PA-32-300 plane was killed in its crash in Isabela province, the local government said on Thursday, as it searched for the aircraft's lone passenger who might have survived.

Isabela's Incident Management Team (IMT) said rescuers reached the wreckage of the aircraft at 11 a.m.

"Sadly, the pilot was found lifeless," the IMT said.

"The lone passenger was not found in the vicinity. However, she appears to have survived the crash as indicated by a makeshift shelter that she presumably put up near the wreckage," it added.

K9 trackers will be flown and dropped near the wreckage to search for the passenger, the IMT said.

If weather permits, the remains of the pilot will be brought to a helicopter landing zone, hoisted aboard, and then flown to Cauayan City on Friday, it added.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said Fliteline Airways will use their aircraft on Friday to pick up the Rescue team at Palanan Airport and take them to Cauayan Airport.

“Then they will be transported via PAF helicopter to the established area near the crash site,” CAAP said.

Cloudy skies with scattered showers or thunderstorms are expected in mainland Cagayan and Isabela, CAAP said.

Authorities earlier said the light plane with registry number RP-C1234 went missing last Thursday, shortly after departing from Cauayan Airport. Its suspected crash site was found on Tuesday.

Bad weather previously hindered the search and rescue.

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