Peruvian Air Force helicopter crash kills 15, including 7 minors

Seven minors were among 15 people killed when a Peruvian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter crashed near the coastal town of Chala in southern Peru, officials said.

The aircraft lost contact Sunday afternoon while flying from Lima toward Arequipa along Peru’s southern coast, according to the Peruvian Air Force. It was expected to arrive at a base in the Arequipa region at about 4:20 p.m. local time.

Air Force officials said the helicopter’s last radio communication occurred near the city of Chala. Minutes later, its SkyRouter tracking system showed a fixed position east of Chala near the village of Chala Vieja, prompting the military to declare an emergency and launch a search-and-rescue operation with support from Peru’s National Police.

Ground patrols reached the mountainous area overnight and located the crash site at about 6:30 a.m. Monday.

“Unfortunately, we have no survivors,” Air Force Operations Commander Lt. Gen. Gregorio César Mendiola Lomparte said at a press briefing. Recovery of the bodies is ongoing.

The Air Force identified the four crew members who were killed as Major Sergio Danner Paucar Centurión, First Lieutenant Luis Fernando Huertas Cárcamo, First Class Petty Officer Kamila Chapi Anchapuri Jove and Second Class Petty Officer Leiner Aguirre Huamán.

The 11 passengers included seven minors between the ages of 3 and 17, along with four adult civilians.

Officials said the helicopter was conducting search-and-rescue and disaster-response missions in the Arequipa region, where flooding and landslides have disrupted sections of the Pan-American Highway.

Air Force officials said it is standard practice for authorized civilians to travel on logistical transport flights supporting emergency operations.

The aircraft underwent a major inspection in November 2024 and had flown 287 hours since then, officials said. Its next major inspection was scheduled for 2031.

An accident investigation board has been activated to determine what caused the crash.