"Peruvian airport shut down for nearly seven hours by stalled plane"

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Peruvian airport shut down for nearly seven hours by stalled plane
The Associated Press


LIMA, Peru - Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport was shut down for
nearly seven hours Tuesday, with international flights diverted to other
airports around the country, after an Antonov cargo plane broke down during
takeoff and blocked the main runway.

Thousands of passengers waiting for national and international flights were
delayed.

The breakdown occurred around 7:15 a.m. (1215 GMT) and flights resumed
around 2:00 p.m. (1900 GMT).

Chilean-run Lan airline apologized to the more than 2,500 of its passengers
who were affected.

The Antonov, owned by Peruvian cargo company, Aero Transporte S.A., carrying
a pilot and co-pilot and four tons of cargo for an in-country flight, was
about to take off when it suffered an unspecified mechanical failure, said
airport spokeswoman Claudia Vivanco.

Peru's airport authority, CORPAC, said in a statement that international
flights from Los Angeles, Miami, Brazil and Bolivia, among others, were
diverted to coastal airports north and south of the capital, Lima, as well
as to Arequipa.


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