A plane carrying European tourists to view the famed Nazca Lines crashed into a field Saturday outside the Peruvian city of Nazca, killing 13 people, local authorities said. The aircraft crashed in a field near Nazca, a city on Peru’s southern coast that is renowned for its rich archaeological heritage and popular tourist attractions.
The small aircraft departed from Pisco Airport but reportedly lost contact with air traffic controllers just minutes into the flight, according to local media outlet RPP. The crash occurred at around 12:55pm local time on Saturday as the plane was preparing to return from a sightseeing tour. Images and videos shared on social media showed the smoking wreckage of what appeared to be a small aircraft at the crash site, highlighting the severity of the incident.
Among the dead were seven Italian citizens between the ages of 18 and 54, two 52-year-old Spaniards and two Germans of 77 and 78 years, Peru’s Transportation Ministry said. The other two fatalities were the pilot Américo Salazar and copilot Irenka Guanilo del Carpio, it said in an official report.
According to Peru’s Ministry of Commerce and Tourism, the plane was carrying 11 passengers and two pilots.
Authorities reported that the plane had been flying over the Nazca Lines, a vast collection of ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert landscape.
President Keiko Fujimori expressed regret over the accident and said a “temporary suspension” of the airport was being considered, though the decision will be made once she receives reports from the relevant ministries.
Peruvian authorities said the accident is under investigation.