Two pilots were killed when a Cessna light aircraft crashed in the Philippines.

The plane plunged to the ground in the village of Libsong East in Lingayen, Pangasinan province, on Sunday, March 30, at around 8 am.

Police identified the victims as Captain Nikko Manogan, 31, and student pilot Bryan Allen Ocang, 25, from the same region.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) confirmed the Cessna training aircraft, registered RP-C8595, was operated by Pilipinas Space Aviation Academy Inc.

Lieutenant Colonel Amor Mio Somine, the police chief of Lingayen, said that the two-seater Cessna had just taken off from Lingayen Airport and was attempting a U-turn when it smashed into a swampy area on the eastern side of the runway.

Somine added: 'Responders went to the place of incident and rescued the two victims who were brought to the nearby hospital but were declared dead on arrival.'

Footage shows the plane nosedived into a wetland area, with authorities investigating the scene.

An incident report from the Aviation Safety Network stated: 'A Cessna 152 crashed under unknown circumstances in Libsong East, Lingayen, Pangasinan, Ilocos, when performing touch and go's and approaching runway 26 for a full stop at Lingayen Airport (RPUG). Both trainer and trainee pilot perished and the aircraft was written off.'

Officials are currently investigating the incident.