Peru tourist plane crash kills 13 near Nazca Lines
A sightseeing flight over one of Peru’s most celebrated archaeological landmarks ended in tragedy on Saturday after a small aircraft carrying tourists crashed shortly after takeoff, leaving all 13 people on board dead.
According to Peruvian police, the aircraft departed from the airfield in Pisco, approximately 240 kilometers south of Lima, before crashing shortly after 1:00 p.m. local time. Authorities confirmed that the victims included 11 passengers and two crew members. Emergency responders reported no survivors.
The flight had been operating a popular tourist route to provide aerial views of the Nazca Lines, the vast collection of ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert that attracts thousands of international visitors each year and is considered one of Peru’s most important archaeological destinations.
Rescue teams, including firefighters and police officers, were deployed to the crash site, where they worked among the wreckage to recover victims and secure the area. Officials said the severity of the impact complicated recovery operations, with only a portion of the bodies retrieved during the initial response.
The cause of the accident remains unknown. Peru’s civil aviation authority has opened a formal investigation to determine what led to the crash, while officials have not yet released the identities or nationalities of those on board.
The accident once again raises questions about the safety of scenic flights operating from Pisco, a hub for air tours over the Nazca desert. The airport serves dozens of small aircraft that transport large numbers of visitors, particularly foreign tourists seeking panoramic views of the UNESCO-listed site.
The latest tragedy follows previous fatal accidents involving sightseeing aircraft in the region. In 2022, another tourist flight crashed, killing seven people, while a similar accident in 2010 claimed the lives of British visitors and Peruvian crew members.
As investigators begin examining the aircraft, flight records and operational procedures, Peru’s tourism and aviation sectors are expected to closely monitor the findings, which could influence future safety measures for one of the country’s most iconic visitor attractions.
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