Wreckage of small plane found near crater of volcano amid search for four people

Rescuers continue their search for passengers of a Cessna 340 aircraft with registry number RP-C2080 at Tumpa Gulley, Camalig town, Albay province, the Philippines (Bureau of Fire Protection Camalig/AP)

Authorities in the Philippines are working to verify whether the wreckage of a small plane seen near a restive volcano crater is from a Cessna that went missing with four people on board over the weekend.

The Cessna 340, which was bound for Manila, vanished after taking off from Albay province south-east of the capital on Saturday morning with two Filipino pilots and two Australian passengers.