A young woman was horrifically decapitated after being struck by the rotor blade of a helicopter that was carrying the Peruvian Prime Minister.

Lina Zapata Feijo reportedly slipped past a police cordon to approach the chopper as it landed in Tumbes, near the Ecuadorian border, at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The 20-year-old university student had wanted to present PM Pedro Cateriano with a letter about her jailed brother.

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Pedro Cateriano (left) was on board the helicopter (credit REX)



In it, she claimed he’d been wrongfully imprisoned due to negligence by the authorities.

But she was tragically hit by the propeller as the helicopter landed.

Local media reports that she was decapitated and killed on the spot.

The Peruvian Air Force helicopter was also transporting several other officials of the South American nation’s government at the time.

The politicians were due to visit an area which has been hit by serious flooding in recent weeks.

The trip was cancelled after the incident, however, reports local media.

A government spokesman said Feijo’s funeral costs would be paid for by the state.



An investigation into the police presence in the area has also been launched.

(Stock images from REX)