BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 20 (Portal) – The operator of Peru’s capital airport said on Sunday that a fire engine involved in a dramatic and deadly collision with a LATAM Airlines (LTM.SN) passenger plane was conducting a pre-arranged emergency drill.
The jet crashed into the fire truck as it hurtled down the runway before takeoff on Friday, with the plane quickly catching fire and smoking heavily as it came to a halt. Two firefighters were killed in the accident.
On Sunday, Lima Airport Partners, which operates the airport, said in a statement on Twitter that the fire truck drove onto the runway as part of an emergency drill coordinated between the operator and the air traffic authority.
“On November 18, during the morning and up to the start of the exercise, the fire brigade team took all the necessary precautions to carry out the maneuver,” said the airport operator.
“Control Tower (CORPAC) confirmed takeoff time 15:10, it was the scheduled time to begin the maneuver and the impact with the LATAM aircraft occurred at 15:11.”
Jorge Salinas, CEO of the Peruvian Airports and Commercial Aviation Association (CORPAC), told local radio that the permit for the exercise did not include access to the runway.
“There is no authorization for a vehicle to enter the runway. There is a permit to conduct an exercise, but it is outside the areas where there are currently transit operations,” he told radio station RRP on Saturday.
Peru’s health ministry said Friday that 20 passengers were receiving medical treatment and at least two were in serious condition. The airline said no passengers or crew were killed.
Reporting by Marco Aquino; writing by Adam Jourdan; Edited by Daniel Wallis
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