Rescue teams in Peru were working to recover the bodies of 14 people who died when a helicopter crashed last week in a remote, mountainous area, police said Sunday.
Officials lost contact with the chopper Wednesday in the department of Cusco, which boasts some of Peru’s most popular tourist destinations.
Police found the helicopter Saturday after days of searching.
A search team left a mountain base Sunday on foot and was heading to the remote crash site, several hours away, Police Maj. Jesus Vargas said.
No one survived the crash, authorities said. There were South Korean, Dutch, Swiss, Czech and Peruvian passengers aboard the aircraft, the state-run Andina news agency reported.
Investigators have not determined what caused the crash, which sent the helicopter smashing into the side of the Mama Rosa mountain, about 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level, Andina said, citing a local prosecutor.
Authorities said fog and snowfall in the mountainous area where the helicopter crashed have complicated search and recovery efforts.
It could take days to recover the bodies from the wreckage, Andina said.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- Rescue teams in Peru were working to recover the bodies of 14 people who died when a helicopter crashed last week in a remote, mountainous area, police said Sunday.
- Investigators have not determined what caused the crash, which sent the helicopter smashing into the side of the Mama Rosa mountain, about 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level, Andina said, citing a local prosecutor.
- A search team left a mountain base Sunday on foot and was heading to the remote crash site, several hours away, Police Maj.
