Military contracted plane crashes in Philippines, killing 4, including a U.S. Marine

Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Four people were killed when a U.S. military-contracted plane crashed in a rice field in southern Philippines on Thursday, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command announced.

A U.S. Marine and three defense contractors were reported to have died in the crash of a Beechcraft twin-engine Super King Air 350 during an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission in Maguindanao del Sur province being conducted at the request of the Philippines, according to reporting by military.com.

"We can confirm no survivors of the crash," the command's statement said. "The cause of the crash is currently under investigation and we have no further details to release at this time."

The bodies of the four people killed in the crash were recovered from the wreckage in the town of Ampatuan, officials said. Their names are being withheld pending family notification. Reports said there were no other injuries in the area of the crash.

The aircraft was owned by the American defense contractor Metrea, which provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance service, USNI News reported.

The Marines typically train in the Indo-Pacific with the support of the Philippines and other partner nations, largely as part of the U.S. Defense Department's efforts to curb China's influence in the region.

Indo-Pacific Command is one of six multi-nation commands that protects and defends "the territory of the United States, its people, and its interests" with allied nations in the Asia-Pacific region, according to its website.