Manila, Aug 18 (IANS) A light aircraft carrying the interior secretary of the Philippines crashed Saturday in the country. While an aide was rescued, the secretary and two pilots were missing, Xinhua reported.

The five-seater plane carrying Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo crashed near an airport in Masbate city in central Philippines' Masbate province, according to ABS-CBN TV.

The interior and local government department said Robredo was on a plane from Cebu to Naga.

The pilots sent a distress call to Masbate airport around 5 p.m., requesting for an emergency landing.

However, the plane did not make it to the airport and crashed in the Masbate Bay.

ABS-CBN said Robredo's aide Jun Abrazado was rescued from the crash site.

Masbate City vice-governor Vince Revi said a search operation was going on, but could not determine the status of Robredo and the other passengers.