Plane with 141 passengers onboard BURSTS INTO FLAMES after emergency landing in Peru
A PASSENGER jet has veered off a runway and burst into flames after landing at a regional airport in Peru.
#ÚltimoMinuto Avión de Peruvian Airlines en Jauja. Pilotos Dennis Khan y Augusto Fajardo. Afortunadamente, pasajeros y tripulación ilesos pic.twitter.com/yGCBR6zBaa
— Alexandra Hörler (@AlexandraHorler) March 28, 2017
The Boeing 737 aircraft was carrying 141 people onboard when the fire started at around 4.30pm local time (10.30pm GMT).
The aircraft operator, Peruvian Airlines, said no injuries or fatalities were reported “thanks to the pilot’s expertise and the high professionalism of our cabin crew”.
The aircraft caught fire shortly after landing
The plane had just landed at Francisco Carle Airport, a regional airfield in Jauja, around 165 miles east of the capital, Lima.
Unconfirmed reports suggest strong winds had resulted in a difficult landing.
The plane landed in a remote area of Peru before the fire caught hold
Interior Minister Carlos Basombrio said: "The plane couldn't stop on the runway and they made a maneuver to stop it with the wing and that appears to have caused the fire.”
The Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communication confirmed the aircraft caught fire after a “forced landing”.
A thick cloud of black smoke can be seen emerging from the airport
A trail of fire can be seen behind the plane, although emergency services at the high-elevation airport have now put out the fire.
An investigation is now underway.