Manila - A Philippine air force jet with two pilots went missing on Monday off the country's west coast amid stormy weather, an official said. The missing S211 jet was one of two planes that took off from an airbase in Puerto Princesa City, 600 kilometres south-west of Manila, for a security patrol.
"Only one plane returned after the mission," said Lieutenant General Horacio Tolentino, air force chief.
Tolentino said the planes had conducted "maritime security operations" over the Kalayaan Island, a territory that is part of the disputed Spratlys group of islands.
He said the air force has launched a search-and-rescue mission for the missing plane.
The western Philippines was experiencing strong winds brought about by typhoon Hagibis, which returned to the Philippines on Monday after killing 13 people in the country last week.
The Spratlys straddle key shipping lanes in the South China Sea and are believed to be rich in oil, marine and mineral resources. They are claimed in whole or in part by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.
