Peruvian air force plane disappears, 13 on board

LIMA, May 25 (Reuters) A Peruvian air force plane with 13 people on board disappeared from radar over the country's eastern jungle, the defense ministry and a regional official said today.

The plane, a Twin Otter, lost radar contact late yesterday around an hour after taking off in the province of Ucayali, in Peru's vast Amazon region of Loreto, a defence ministry spokesman told Reuters.

The regional president of Loreto, Ivan Vazquez, said 13 people were on board the plane, which he said was conducting a civilian flight, although local media put the figure at 17.

The ministry said a search and rescue operation had been launched yesterday and would continue today.

REUTERS RJ HT1917