Four people died when a Cessna plane crashed into one of the Philippines' most active volcanoes.

The plane crashed Saturday on the west side of Mayon Volcano, near the crater. The volcano is located in the province of Albay, about 330 kilometers southeast of the capital Manila.

The next day, the wreckage of the plane was observed, but rain, clouds and the risk of a volcanic eruption delayed the attempt to send people to the scene. It was also not possible to reach the site by military helicopter. Bad weather forced the attempt to be abandoned after three failed attempts.

Soldiers, firefighters, experienced climbers and volunteers set out on foot Tuesday to climb the steep climb. On Wednesday, 179 people arrived at the scene of the accident. Along the way, they had to climb over rocks, cross rushing rivers and walk through thick fog.

– We found the place. There were no signs of life, said Mayor Carlos Baldo of the municipality of Camalig.

On Thursday, the crew returned with the dead.

– It's very difficult terrain. It's steep and there are narrow ridges where only one person can climb at a time, said Cedric Daep, Albay's provincial head of public security and crisis management. He warned it could be more than a day before they are down.

It was a Cessna 340. It was reported missing just minutes after taking off from Bicol Airport, near Mayon. The plane was heading to Manila.

On board were two Filipino pilots and two Australian consultants employed by a Manila-based renewable energy company.

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