Peru plane crash kills 13 as tourist aircraft goes down near Nazca Lines

A tourist aircraft carrying foreign visitors on a sightseeing tour over Peru's famous Nazca Lines crashed near the city of Nazca on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, according to the country's Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC).

The ministry confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two crew members, adding that there were no survivors. Authorities have launched .

In an official statement, Peru's Ministry of Transport and Communications said the Cessna Caravan C-208, registration OB-2001, was operated by Aerodiana, an airline authorised to conduct special tourist flights.

The aircraft departed Pisco Airport at 12:10 pm with 11 passengers of Italian, German and Spanish nationalities and two crew members for a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines.

At around 1:00 pm, while flying near Socos in the Pueblo Nuevo district, the crew reported an emergency to the control tower at Nazca aerodrome. Shortly afterwards, all radio communication with the aircraft was lost.

Following the loss of contact, personnel from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), Aeronautical Firefighters of the Peruvian Airports and Commercial Aviation Corporation (CORPAC) and the Peruvian National Police were immediately deployed to the crash site.

The ministry said rescue teams confirmed that there were no survivors.

The government also expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and said it was coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that relatives were informed through official channels before receiving the news through the media.

Peruvian authorities said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) and the Aviation Accident Investigation Commission have activated technical protocols to determine the cause of the crash.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications said it would provide full support to investigators and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening aviation safety measures.

The Nazca Lines are among Peru's most famous archaeological attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the country's southern desert region, the giant geoglyphs date back to between 500 BC and 500 AD and can be best viewed from the air.

The enormous figures depict animals, plants, geometric shapes and imaginary beings, making aerial sightseeing flights one of the most popular ways for tourists to experience the historic site.

Also read: