Wreckage of Ecuadorian airliner found in southern Colombia

The wreckage of a missing Ecuadorian airliner has been found near a volcano in southern Colombia, officials confirm.

Minister of Government Marcelo Merlo, speaking to reporters in Ecuador's capital, Quito, did not say whether there may have been any survivors.

He says the TAME airliner, which vanished over the Andes, was found near Chiles Volcano, in southern Colombia near the Ecuadorian border.

There was no immediate confirmation from Colombian officials.

Rescue teams from both nations have been searching for the Boeing 727-100, and Ecuadorian search planes crossed into Colombia to look for the wreckage.

Mr Merlo says it will take at least two hours for rescuers to reach the remote site.

General Hector Fabio Velasco, commander of Colombia's air force, ruled out hijacking as being behind the airliner's disappearance.

"Most probably it crashed," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Colombian air force, Major Angela Rodriguez, says Colombian authorities also rule out a possible guerrilla attack. Rebels have been active in the border area, but there have been no known cases of the guerrillas trying to down an airliner in Colombia's 38-year war.

This was the second crash in the border region this month.