Two firefighters have been reported dead after a plane crashed into a fire truck while trying to take off on its runway at Peru’s International Airport.
The Latam Airlines Plane collided with the truck just before 15:30 (20:30 GMT) on Friday, November 18, at Jorge Chávez International Airport in the Capital City.
Video footage posted on social media platforms shows the plane careering down the runway, catching fire and smoking as it ground to a halt.
According to the incident, no passengers or flight crew were killed, the Airline tweeted on its Twitter account.
A thirty-one-year-old firefighter is in critical condition following the plane crash, according to an Executive Director of the Hospital Agency EsSalud.
The Ministry of Health added in a statement that 20 passengers have been given first aid, and two of them are believed to be in serious condition.
Notably, it remains unclear why the fire truck entered the runway while the plane was about to take off, bound for the Southern Peruvian City of Juliaca.
Latam CEO, Manuel Van Oordt, said during a news conference that the flight had been cleared at a green light stage ready for take-off.
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The prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident as potential manslaughter, according to Reuters news agency.
Lima Airport Partners-LAP, which operates Jorge Chávez Airport has significantly suspended all flights until Saturday afternoon at the Airport premises.
LAP stated that “at this moment we are finding and investigating all the necessary and identified solid factors that could determine the cause of plane crushing on its runway.”
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The President of Peru Pedro Castillo paid tribute to the Firefighters on social media platforms.
