The US military has confirmed that a light plane that crashed Thursday in Maguindanao del Sur, killing all four people onboard, was contracted by the US Department of Defense to provide intelligence support at the request of Philippine allies.

Authorities say a U.S. military service member and three defense contractors are dead after a small military plane crashed in the Philippines.

Four people are dead after a U.S. military-contracted plane crashed in the Philippines on Thursday, officials said.