Military plane crashes in southern Lima district

Photo credit: El Comercio / Hugo Perez

A Peruvian air force plane crashed into a mountain in Lima’s southern district of Villa Maria del Triunfo yesterday afternoon, leaving two injured.

The Cessna T41 Mescalero model is a small aircraft used for training purposes. Reports say a dense fog hindered the pilots’ visibility before the plane crashed into the uninhabited Virgen de la Candelaria mountain.

The local firefighters chief said there were no roads leading to the top of the mountain where the plane crashed. The closest residents helped his team locate the aircraft.

“It was an aircraft for basic instruction,” said air force spokesman Eduardo Maravi. “Colonel Solari was highly trained. Both were on a training mission when the accident happened.”

A statement from the air force said the instructing pilot and student followed safety procedures which prevented third-party injuries or damage. The air force has launched an internal investigation into the cause of the crash.

Sources

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