The plane was conducting intelligence and reconnaissance support “at the request of our Philippine allies,” according to the U.S. military.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — One U.S. service member and three defense contractors were killed Thursday when a plane contracted by the U.S. military crashed in a rice field in the southern Philippines, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said.

Six Mexican citizens aboard a medical jet and one person on the ground were killed after the plane crashed in.