Laoag

Military officials and diplomats from several countries, along with journalists, watched the display of firepower from a hilltop along a sandy coast in Laoag City on Wednesday in Ilocos Norte, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s northern home province.

The plane had received clearance to take off from Laoag city in Ilocos Norte province after weather there had cleared.

The Cessna 152 left from Laoag city in northern Ilocos Norte province around noon Tuesday but failed to land three hours later as expected in Tuguegarao city in Cagayan province, said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which did not immediately identify the two people on the plane.

Agency spokesman Eric Apolonio told The Associated Press the plane received clearance to take off from Laoag, where the weather cleared after a typhoon passed through mountainous northern region last week.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the Airbus A321 was enroute to Vietnam from the South Korean city of Incheon when it encountered the problem and had to divert to Laoag international airport in Ilocos Norte province.