MA plane caught fire on Friday as it was taking off from the Peruvian capital Lima. Videos show the plane, owned by Chilean airline Latam Airlines, rolling along the flight path, leaving a trail of fire and flames behind it. The accident happened at the capital’s Jorge Chávez airport. Another video on Twitter shows that the machine previously collided with a vehicle on the tarmac.
According to unconfirmed media reports, two firefighters died in the accident. The Peruvian newspaper “La Republica” had previously written, citing the airport operator, that no one was injured. “The passengers are fine. There are no injuries,” the newspaper quoted an airport employee as saying. It was previously unclear whether this also applies to the occupants of the vehicle. According to local reporters, more than 100 passengers are said to have been on board.
The plane was said to be traveling at a speed of 170 kilometers per hour on impact. Initially it was said that the accident had occurred on landing. According to media reports, the A320 with flight number LA2213 was on its way from Lima to the city of Juliaca in south-eastern Peru.
The fire brigade was able to extinguish the fire after the plane came to a standstill. The passengers left the machine, which was completely evacuated, via emergency slides. Due to the incident, the airport should remain closed until Saturday noon. An investigation should now clarify how the accident could have happened, the airport operator said on Twitter.
A passenger shared a picture of himself online after the accident and thanked God for giving him a “second chance”. In the background was the crashed plane, the man still had the remains of the extinguishing foam on his face.
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