Plane carrying 141 passengers burst into flames after landing in Peru

 

A Peruvian plane carrying 141 passengers on board was involved in an accident at the Francisco Carlie Airport in Jauja, Peru

The plane, Boeing 737-300 which had been on a special flight from the capital, Lima, to Jauja,  veered off the runway, bursting into flames upon landing at the airport at about 4:30 pm on Tuesday local time, according to reports.

The airline in a statement said none of the passengers on board suffered any serious injuries from the accident, noting that all passengers were safely evacuated from the plane.

But Le Republica reported that least 26 people, including a child, were injured in the incident.

Witnesses said the pilot had lost control of the plane in high winds, while another report said the blaze had been caused by an exploding tire.

Peruvian Interior Minister Carlos Basombrio said the fire had probably started when the plane's wing scraped the runway.

'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,' Basombrio told local broadcaster RPP.

However, an investigation has been launched into the cause of the combustion.

A Peruvian Airlines Boeing 737 has been involved in an accident at Francisco Carle Airport in Peru. pic.twitter.com/z4QT5QjUYc

— Brendan Grainger (@S118869) March 28, 2017