Peru confirms discovery of 15 dead after helicopter crash in Arequipa

Published at: 23/02/2026 09:20 PM

The Peruvian Air Force (FAP) found 15 people dead this Monday after the accident of a military helicopter that disappeared on Sunday in the region of Arequipa, in the south of the country, the military authority said.

The FAP specified that the helicopter was carrying out work to rescue victims of the floods recorded in Arequipa. “Rescue personnel have confirmed the death of the four crew members (...), as well as the 11 passengers who were on board,” he said. Among the victims, seven minors were reported.

“After intensified search efforts, special forces patrols and police have managed to locate the Mi-17 helicopter that lost radio contact yesterday afternoon,” the air force said in a statement.

The head of the Arequipa Police Region, General Antonio Lamadrid, reported that the authorities went to the site of the discovery to remove the bodies.

The wrecked helicopter, a Russian-made Mi-17, had taken off from the city of Pisco, in the Ica region. Rescuers found the aircraft in the town of Chala, in Arequipa, just over 300 kilometers from the place of departure.

“The helicopter was found far from the urban area of the Arequipa district of Chala, where they placed the wreckage of the aircraft,” Lamadrid said. In that regard, the Air Force ordered an investigation to determine the causes of the accident.

Mazo News Team