A tragic plane crash has claimed the lives of all 13 people aboard a small tourist aircraft in southern Peru, raising fresh concerns about aviation safety around one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites.
According to Peruvian police, the aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Pisco Airport at about 1:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. The plane was carrying 11 passengers and two crew members on a sightseeing trip over the UNESCO-listed Nazca Lines, a major attraction that draws thousands of visitors from around the world each year.
Police Major Jorge Andrade confirmed that there were no survivors. Rescue teams, including firefighters and police officers, recovered bodies from the wreckage as emergency crews battled smoke and debris scattered across the crash site. Authorities have yet to identify the victims, while the cause of the accident remains unknown.
Peru’s civil aviation authority has launched an investigation to determine what led to the fatal crash. Officials say investigators will examine the aircraft’s condition, weather data, and other possible factors before releasing their findings.
The Nazca Lines, located in Peru’s coastal desert, are among the world’s most mysterious archaeological treasures. The giant geoglyphs, believed to have been created between 500 BC and 500 AD, can only be fully appreciated from the air, making sightseeing flights a popular experience for tourists.
This is not the first deadly accident involving flights over the Nazca region. Similar crashes in 2022 and 2010 also claimed the lives of tourists and crew members, highlighting long-standing concerns over the safety of sightseeing operations.
The latest tragedy has shocked Peru’s tourism sector and the international community, with many awaiting the outcome of the official investigation into one of the country’s deadliest tourist aviation disasters in recent years.
