On camera: Peru plane hits vehicle on runway, catches fire | World news
AP | | Posted by Nisha Anand
A LATAM flight departing from Lima’s international airport hit a fire truck on the runway and burst into flames on Friday. Authorities said the plane’s passengers and crew were all safe, but two firefighters in the truck were killed.
Lima Airport Partners, the company that operates the Jorge Chávez airport, said in a tweet that operations at the facility have been suspended. There were 102 passengers and six crew members on the Airbus A320neo.
“Our teams provide the necessary care to all passengers, who are in good condition,” the company said.
Luis Ponce La Jara, general manager of the fire department, said that two firefighters were killed and one was injured when the car they were in crashed. Both the helicopter and the fire truck were in motion when they collided.
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President Pedro Castillo expressed his condolences to the families of the firefighters in a tweet. Flight LA2213 departs from Lima’s main airport en route to the Peruvian city of Juliaca. Videos on social media showed smoke coming from a large plane on the runway.
According to the fire department, the incident was registered at 3:25 pm and four rescue teams were mobilized. The prosecutor’s office in Callao, where the airport is located, said that an investigation into the cause of the accident has been opened.
Aviation authorities said operations at Jorge Chávez International Airport were suspended until 1 p.m. local time Saturday. Flights will be direct to other airports at that time.
(HT could not independently verify the video)
