A Peruvian air force plane crashed in dense jungle in the remote northeast of the country but seven of the 13 people aboard survived, a regional official said yesterday.

The De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft lost radar contact late on Thursday after taking off from the city of Iquitos in Peru's vast Amazon region of Loreto, bound for the city of Pucallpa. "The plane's been found by a rescue helicopter and according to the information I have there are seven survivors," regional president Ivan Vazquez said, adding that at least one of the survivors was a woman.

Earlier, media reports had said there were up to 20 people aboard the plane, which was on a civilian flight.

At least one survivor was taken to a hospital by helicopter.

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