Lima: A sightseeing flight carrying European tourists crashed near Peru’s famous Nazca Lines, leaving 13 people dead, authorities confirmed. The aircraft went down in a field outside the city of Nazca, prompting an investigation into the cause of the accident.
According to local officials, the aircraft had taken off from the nearby city of Ica and was operated by Aerodiana, a company known for conducting aerial tours over the world-renowned Nazca geoglyphs. The airline has been offering scenic flights in the region for more than a decade using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft.
The victims included seven Italian nationals aged between 18 and 54, two Spanish tourists, both aged 52, and two German citizens, aged 77 and 78. The remaining fatalities were identified as the aircraft’s pilot, Americo Salazar, and co-pilot, Irenka Guanilo del Carpio, according to Peru’s Ministry of Transport.
The Nazca Lines, one of Peru’s most visited archaeological attractions, are a series of massive ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert centuries ago by Indigenous communities. The enormous figures, depicting animals and geometric shapes, are best viewed from the air, making sightseeing flights a popular attraction for international visitors.
Following the tragedy, President Keiko Fujimori expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and said authorities are considering a temporary suspension of operations at the airport serving Nazca. She added that a final decision would be taken after reviewing reports from the relevant government agencies.
Emergency teams reached the crash site shortly after the incident, while aviation authorities launched a detailed investigation to determine what caused the aircraft to go down. Officials have not yet indicated whether mechanical failure, weather conditions or any other factor may have contributed to the crash.
The airline had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of reporting. Meanwhile, investigators continue to examine the wreckage as Peru mourns one of the country’s deadliest aviation accidents involving a tourist sightseeing flight in recent years.
