Passengers on a flight that crashed in Peru's northeastern jungle tried to persuade the air force pilot not to take off in a thunderstorm, according to a survivor's account published Sunday. At least 13 people died, including a 93-year-old woman, AP reported. Juan Saavedra told the Peru21 newspaper that the pilot asked passengers to calm down and assured them that nothing would happen because they were traveling in a war plane. The Twin Otter plane crashed in a mountainous jungle 560 kilometers (350 miles) northeast of Lima on Thursday afternoon, officials said. Saavedra said immediately after takeoff the pilot appeared to struggle with strong wind gusts before the plane dropped and flew between two trees that cut off its wings. Another survivor told Peru21 that he heard the pilot give an order to turn off the engine ahead of the crash, possibly to avoid a fire. Regional officials originally said there were 20 people aboard the plane _ about the capacity of many Twin Otters. Police reported seven survivors, while the ministry originally said eight. The Defense Ministry had not released the passenger list or an official report on the crash by Sunday. The plane was part of an air force program helping small jungle communities not served by commercial flights.
