RE: BREAKING NEWS

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-01-03 AT 11:56 PM (GMT)]Missing Peruvian airliner found with no survivors

LIMA, Jan. 11 (Xinhuanet) — Peruvian rescue teams on Saturday spotted the wreckage of an airliner of the state-run TANS that crashed in the north of the country with 46 people aboard, and rescuers said there were no survivors.

The Fokker-28, with 42 passengers and four crew members on board, was found by an air force helicopter 16 kilometers southwest of Chachapoyas, the destination of the TANS flight.

Pieces of the airliner were scattered over the mountain area atan altitude of 3,300 meters.

Peruvian Air Force (FAP) Col. Juan Rodriguez, who was in charge of the rescue operations, said there were no survivors.

The twin-engine airplane disappeared Thursday four minutes before it was going to land in Chachapoyas, Amazonas state, 950 kilometers northeast of Lima. The TANS Airlines rented out the plane to FAP.

It took off from Lima, made a stop in Chiclayo before proceeding to Chachapoyas, near an archaeological area frequented by tourists.

Thick fog and heavy rains hampered the search and rescue operations. The plane lost contact with the control tower before hitting a 3,800-meter high mountain. Enditem