A tragic plane crash has occurred in Peru. A small aircraft carrying tourists over the famous UNESCO-recognized Nazca Lines crashed, killing all 13 people on board, including the two pilots, according to officials in the Nazca province.
According to information provided by Peru’s state broadcaster TV Perú, the aircraft was carrying 11 passengers and two pilots. The plane went down in the Pueblo Viejo area, located approximately 6 kilometers from Nazca city and about 12 kilometers from the Nazca Lines.
Local authorities revealed that the aircraft belonged to Aerodiana, a Peruvian airline. However, no official statement has been issued by the airline regarding the incident.
The plane had taken off from Pisco airport as part of a sightseeing tour to view the Nazca Lines. It lost contact with the control tower just minutes after takeoff.
Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of the crash and have ordered a full investigation. Visuals showing smoking aircraft wreckage in a dry, barren field went viral on social media, though officials noted that the authenticity of these videos could not be fully verified.
The Nazca Lines in Peru are a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring massive ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert. The site draws approximately 100,000 visitors each year, with most tourists viewing the designs from above via small aircraft.
Notably, just one day before this crash, flight services from the nearby María Reiche airport had been suspended due to strong winds (reaching speeds of 40 km/h). Local media reported that two tourist-carrying flights were diverted to Marcona airport after reduced visibility caused by dust storms.