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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Aeroperu Jet With 70 Aboard Down In Ocean

Associated Press

A Peruvian plane slammed into the frigid Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, and all 70 passengers and crew were believed killed. In the final moments before the crash, the pilot said his navigation system had failed, leaving him lost amid the dense early-morning mist.

Rescue workers searched for possible survivors of Aeroperu Flight 603, which crashed shortly after its takeoff from Lima, the Peruvian capital, to Santiago, the Chilean capital. But fog covered the rough seas throughout the day, hampering rescue operations.

The plane was carrying 61 passengers, including four Americans, and nine crew members, the airline said. Airport officials said the jetliner was only 4 years old.

Searchers found parts of the Boeing 757’s fuselage about 40 miles off shore, and 10 bodies had been recovered by nightfall. There was no sign of survivors.