Chile’s LATAM Airlines group said its plane collided with a fire fighting engine on the runway while taking off from the airport in Lima, the Peruvian capital, on Friday, killing two firefighters.
Peru’s health ministry said 20 passengers were receiving treatment and at least two were in serious condition, reports a local Arabic daily.
The airline stated that there were no injuries or deaths among passengers or crew members.
The ministry added that 61 people were transferred to clinics and hospitals near Jorge Chavez International Airport.
It was not clear if this was due to injuries or a precautionary measure.
President Pedro Castillo offered his condolences to the families of the two firefighters in a statement on Twitter, saying he was praying for the recovery of the injured. It was not clear why the fire engine entered the runway while the plane was taking off.
The prosecutor’s office said it was investigating the incident.
This is the second accident in less than a month for LATAM Airlines, after one of its planes was damaged during a severe storm that forced it to make an emergency landing.
The company’s Peruvian branch said it was devoting all its resources to the care of those affected, and was cooperating with the authorities to support the investigation.
A video clip on social media showed the plane colliding with the fire engine as it swerved from the runway, then quickly catching fire and emitting smoke before it stopped.
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