The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has deployed a team of three investigators to Medellin in Colombia, following the crash of a British Aerospace Avro RJ85 operated by charter carrier LAMIA Bolivia.
The investigators are expected to arrive on 30 November, says the AAIB. They will be assisted by representatives from the aircraft manufacturer.
Six of the 81 people on board the aircraft survived the crash, says Colombia’s civil aviation authority Aerocivil today. The Avro 85 broke apart upon impact, with photos posted by Aerocivil showing a mangled section of the aircraft’s fuselage and severe damage to the jet’s Honeywell LF507 engines.
Aerocivil
The aircraft was operating a charter flight from Santa Cruz in Bolivia on 28 November, when it declared an emergency at about 22:00 due to “electrical faults”, says Medellin airport in a statement.
The jet crashed about 13nm (24km) south of Medellin airport, says the AAIB.
Aerocivil
Registered CP-2933, the Avro RJ85 was built in 1999 and was originally operated by now defunct US regional carrier Mesaba Airlines.
The aircraft was operating a charter flight with a Brazilian soccer team on board when it crashed. The six survivors include three soccer players, two crew members and a journalist, says Aerocivil.
Adverse weather conditions and low visibility are hampering search and rescue operations, says the Medellin airport.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
