Tourist plane crashes in Peru, killing 13 over Nazca Lines
A small tourist aircraft has crashed over the famous Nazca Lines archaeological site in Peru, resulting in the deaths of all 13 people on board.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Small tourist plane crashes in southern Peru, killing all 13 on board
- The aircraft was flying over the ancient Nazca Lines archaeological site
- Victims include 11 passengers and two pilots from local airline Aerodiana
- Reports indicate Italian tourists are among the deceased individuals
A small aircraft carrying tourists has gone down in Peru, resulting in the tragic deaths of all 13 people on board, according to local news reports and Peruvian officials. The fatal incident took place on Saturday.
The plane had been flying over the Nazca Lines archaeological site when the crash occurred. There were 11 passengers and two pilots travelling on the aircraft at the time of the tragedy.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Police Major Jorge Andrade spoke to AFP regarding the disaster, noting that the intensity of the crash left no survivors and mentioning that authorities have managed to recover four bodies so far. The aircraft belonged to the local Peruvian carrier Aerodiana.
The crash occurred at approximately 13:00 local time (19:00 BST) within the Pueblo Viejo region. The flight had originally departed from an airport located in Pisco, Peru.
"Given the severity of the accident, there are no survivors. We have recovered four bodies so far,"
Police Major Jorge Andrade
William Acosta, an inspector at the Civil Aviation Directorate General, stated to the Reuters news agency that Italian tourists are believed to be included among the victims. Footage provided by Reuters captured firefighters spraying water at the accident site while thick smoke billowed from the wreckage. The BBC has reached out to the airline for an official statement.
The Nazca Lines are massive ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert sands of southern Peru, created by the Nazca culture roughly 1,600 years ago. While aerial sightseeing tours are a major draw for visitors wishing to view these UNESCO World Heritage geoglyphs, operating small aircraft over the remote desert terrain carries inherent operational risks, with previous fatal tourist flight crashes recorded in both 2022 and 2010.
This tragic incident is not an isolated event for the renowned tourist destination over the past few decades. Back in 2022, another small tourist aircraft crashed during a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines site, claiming the lives of seven people on board. Furthermore, in 2010, an additional tourist plane went down over the same region, killing six individuals.
Source: BBC World
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