60 feared dead after Peru plane crash

Up to 60 people are feared dead after an airliner carrying 100 people crashed near a Peruvian jungle town as it was attempting an emergency landing.

At least 37 people were reported killed and dozens injured before recovery efforts were halted as night fell.

Cesar Arroyo, a local prosecutor, told Radioprogramas radio early today that 37 to 40 bodies had been pulled from the wreckage of the TANS Peru airliner.

“There are still many more bodies to recover but now they have stopped operations because of darkness and the muddy terrain,” he said. “Tomorrow at 7am we will finish the recovery work.”

TANS spokesman Jorge Belevan said there was still no confirmation on the death toll. He said the Boeing 737-200 was attempting an emergency landing when the plane crashed near a highway.

The plane crashed near a jungle highway as it made its approach to the Pucallpa municipal airport at 2.30pm local time yesterday (8.30pm Irish time), TANS said in a faxed statement.

The pilot contacted the airport tower saying he could not land because of strong winds and a heavy downpour, Norma Pasquel, a Pucallpa airport receptionist, told The Associated Press by phone.

Radio reports said the plane crashed about six miles from the municipal airport near the jungle city, 305 miles north east of the capital, Lima.