LATAM Airlines Plane Crashes on Peruvian Runway, 2 firefighters Dead during take-off

(CTN News) – Two firemen were killed on Friday when a LATAM Airlines plane crashed with a firetruck on the runway as it was preparing to take off from the airport in Lima, the capital of Peru.

Twenty passengers were being treated at a clinic around 7 p.m. (0000 GMT), according to Peru’s health ministry, and at least two had critical conditions. No passengers or staff members were killed, according to the airline.

The government said 61 individuals had been transferred from Jorge Chavez International Airport to clinics and hospitals nearby. It was unclear whether this was a result of harm or prudence.

In a tweet to the two firefighters’ families, President Pedro Castillo said he was hoping for their recovery and offered his condolences.

The reason the firetruck drove onto the runway as the jet took off is unknown. The prosecution’s office said it was looking into the event for possible manslaughter.

This is LATAM Airlines’ second mishap in less than a month, after the destruction of its plane’s nose during a strong storm that necessitated an emergency landing.

LATAM Airlines’ Peru office, which is situated in Chile, said it was putting all of its resources to use to help people who had been harmed and assist with the inquiry.

Social media videos showed the aeroplane crashing into the firetruck as it was careening down the runway, then quickly catching fire and strongly burning as it came to a stop.

🇵🇪 | URGENTE: Se incendia un avión de Latam al momento del aterrizaje en el aeropuerto internacional Jorge Chávez de Lima.
pic.twitter.com/3a5vjWdkUe

— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) November 18, 2022

Everyone in the waiting area was tense until they saw the jet come to a halt, and that’s when the ambulances and fire trucks showed up, according to Brazilian passenger Mauro Ferreira, who was waiting to go home to Panama.

We had no idea how many people were on board, and the flames were high, so it was a terrifying experience.

The most significant airport in Peru, Jorge Chavez, will stay closed at least until 1 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Saturday, according to Lima Airport Partners.

According to LATAM Airlines, the flight was LA2213 and operated on the domestic Lima-Juliaca route.

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