Couple take selfie after surviving disastrous plane crash

A couple managed to take a selfie after surviving a firetruck crashing into their plane.

Every anxious flyer's worst nightmare occurred this past Friday (18 November) at the Jorge Chávez International airport in Lima, Peru.

At 3:30pm local time, a fire truck crashed into a plane as it was taking off, with authorities investigating the incident further.

The collision killed two firefighters, Angel Torres and Nicolas Santa Gadea, as their truck hit the LA2213 flight.

No passengers or crew were killed in the collision and one couple even took a selfie after surviving the crash, with the damaged plane seen in the background.

Enrique Varsi-Rospigliosi, who is believed to be the man in the photo, tweeted the picture with the caption: "When life gives you a second chance #latam."

The photo was also shared on the Facebook page A320 Systems, where people were quick to offer their condolences to those killed in the crash, with one person writing: "It's very sad for the relatives of the firetruck. Perhaps the people in the picture weren't aware of the fatalities or perhaps were just so relieved to have survived themselves. In the moment they maybe didn't think it through and were saying to their own family they were ok. We who comment weren't in the accident so can't know their thinking."

While another added: "This could have been a major disaster. Everyone on the plane is extremely fortunate.

Sorry about the firefighters who perished in this accident. They put their lives at risk every single day to save others."

President Pedro Castillo of Peru also took to Twitter to share his condolences: "I express my heartfelt condolences to the relatives of Ángel Torres and Nicolás Santa Gadea, brave firefighters who died in the accident. My thoughts and my prayers are with them. I pray for the recovery of the wounded."

Following the crash, Lima Airport Partners, who operate the airport, issued an update on the incident.

According to the company, the firetruck was on the runway as part of a drill that had been arranged: "On Nov. 18, during the morning and until the beginning of the exercise, the firefighting team made all the necessary arrangements to execute the maneuver."

"Control Tower (CORPAC) confirmed the start time 15:10, it being the time fixed for the beginning of the maneuver, and the impact with the LATAM aircraft occurred at 15:11."

However, the drill had not included entry onto the runway, with Jorge Salinas who's on the board of directors for the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation saying: "There is no authorization for the entry of any vehicle to the runway. There is authorization to carry out an exercise, but it is outside the areas that currently have transit operations."

As reported by Reuters, the prosecutor's office are investigating the incident as potential manslaughter.

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