This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

UPDATE: 2022/11/18 18:38 EST BY LUKAS SOUZA

Twitter Statement from LATAM Peru

LATAM Peru has confirmed that there are no passenger or crew fatalities.

A LATAM Airlines Airbus A320neo has just suffered an accident at Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez (LIM). Videos shared online show the A320neo colliding with a truck on the runway, and there are reports that engine 2 caught fire. According to the first reports by LATAM Airlines and Lima Airport Partners there were no casualties onboard the aircraft. Nonetheless, there's no confirmation regarding the status of the people onboard the truck.

The A320neo was marked as LA2213, a domestic service from Lima to Juliaca, and according to FlightRadar24.com appears to have pushed back from the gate at 19:50 UTC.

Screen Shot 2022-11-18 at 6.53.50 PM
Photo: flightradar24.com

At 20:10 the aircraft appears at the runway and begins its takeoff roll when it suddenly stops according to FlightRadar24' playback feature. ADS-B data on FR24 shows the aircraft was at 127kts when the incident occurred.

What may have happened?

Several videos suggest that mutiple airport fire service vehicles were crossing the runway at Lima Airport at the exact time LATAM's aircraft was accelerating to depart on its domestic service to Juliaca, Peru. The crew was unable to stop and the plane collided with one of the trucks. This resulted in the right engine and wing to burst into flame and the gear to collapse.

Find the latest South American aviation news here.

Following the accident, Lima Airport Partners announced on social media that the runway was closed (therefore, closing all activities at Peru's most important airport). The airport authority added that all operations are suspended until Saturday November 19 at 13:00 local time. According to data by FlightRadar, four flights were diverted to other airports (Copa Airlines' CM131 to Pisco Airport (PIO); LATAM Airlines' LA2385 to Chiclayo Airport (CIX), LATAM's LA2122 to PIO, and LATAM's LA2414 to Arequipa Airport (AQP)). At least 76 departing flights will be impacted by the closure of the airport.

LATAM Airlines Peru has deployed its Emergency Plan, and is ready to deliver immediate assistance to passengers and crew onboard.

The aircraft

The plane involved in this incident is an Airbus A320neo registration CC-BHC. This aircraft is a 4.4-year-old unit first delivered in 2019 and owned by the leasing company Avolon. It has the capacity to carry 180 passengers, according to data by ch-aviation.

It is too soon to tell if the aircraft will be a write off following the accident. The Peruvian aviation authorities will have to launch an investigation to search for the possible causes that led to this accident. The European Union most likely will be involved in the investigation due to the origins of the aircraft (manufactured by Airbus).