Weather halts Peru heli search

2012-06-08 18

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

This is the Cusco area of Peru where a helicopter reportedly carrying a party of South Koreans and Austrians vanished.

Its operators said they lost contact after the aircraft made an emergency landing close to the Hualla Hualla mountain.

A specialist high altitude mountain search team started looking for the missing chopper on Thursday.

They were later forced to suspend the search and return to base because of heavy fog.

SOUNDBITE: ALEJANDRO FIGUEROA, RESCUE WORKER, SAYING (Spanish):

"Everything is completely foggy. The area is covered, it's inaccessible up to the summit."

Early reports were confused but some suggested up to 12 South Korean business people were among those on board.

The reports say there were also two Austrians and two Peruvian crew members.

The search was due to resume on Friday depending on weather conditions.

Paul Chapman, Reuters

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