13 Killed as Tourist Plane Crashes Near Peru’s Nazca Lines

LIMA, At least 13 people were killed after a small tourist aircraft crashed on Saturday while conducting a sightseeing flight over Peru’s world-famous Nazca Lines, local authorities confirmed.

According to officials in Nazca Province, the aircraft was carrying 11 passengers and two pilots when it went down near Pueblo Viejo, approximately six kilometers from the city of Nazca and about 12 kilometers from the Nazca Lines archaeological site.

Aircraft Lost Contact Shortly After Takeoff

Peruvian state broadcaster TVPeru reported that the aircraft belonged to local airline Aerodiana.

According to local media, the flight departed from Pisco Airport for a routine aerial tour of the Nazca Lines but lost contact with air traffic control only minutes after takeoff.

Emergency responders later located the wreckage in a remote desert area.

Investigation Underway

Authorities said the cause of the crash remains unknown.

Peruvian officials have launched a formal investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.

The airline had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting.

Videos Show Smoking Wreckage

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the smoking remains of a small aircraft scattered across the arid plains surrounding Nazca.

The authenticity of the footage has not been independently verified.

Weather Conditions Under Review

The crash occurred one day after sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines were temporarily suspended because of strong winds exceeding 40 kilometers per hour, which reduced visibility by generating large amounts of dust.

Local media reported that adverse weather on Friday had forced multiple sightseeing aircraft to divert to alternate airports.

Investigators are expected to examine whether weather conditions contributed to Saturday’s accident.

Nazca Lines Among Peru’s Top Tourist Attractions

The Nazca Lines, enormous ancient geoglyphs carved into Peru’s southern desert, are among the country’s most famous archaeological landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The site attracts approximately 100,000 visitors each year, with many choosing aerial tours to view the massive figures and geometric patterns that cannot be fully appreciated from the ground.