Philippines to probe disappearance of Saudi pilot

The Philippines’ Department of National Defence (DND) has said that it will conduct separate investigations into the disappearance of a Saudi student pilot who went missing in May, the New Khaleej reported yesterday.

Saudi student pilot Abdullah Al-Sharif went missing during a training flight in Occidental Mindoro.

The DND agreed to conduct a new investigation after a meeting with the Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines, Abdullah Al-Bussairy, requested that a probe be launched.

Al-Sharif’s family said that he was likely kidnapped, stating that certain suspects had been identified.

READ: Saudi political prisoners face severe abuse

His uncle denied that remains of his plane had been found.

Al-Sharif’s brother said that only the captain’s bag had been found so far, adding that it was too far from the take-off site and the flight’s intended pathway.