13 killed in small plane crash near Peru's Nazca Lines tourist site

A Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft crashed shortly after departing from Pisco airport in Peru, resulting in the deaths of all 13 individuals on board. The victims comprised seven Italian nationals, two German citizens, two Spanish citizens, and the two crew members.

The accident occurred approximately 240 kilometers south of Lima. Peru's Civil Aviation Authority and the air traffic accident investigation agency have initiated a probe into the cause of the crash, according to the Ministry of Transport.

In response to the incident, President Keiko Fujimori announced that the government is considering the closure of Pisco airport. This measure comes amidst concerns about the safety of operations at the facility, which serves as a key departure point for tourists visiting the Nazca Lines.

This is not the first aviation tragedy in the region. In 2022, seven people, including tourists from Chile and the Netherlands, died in a similar crash. In 2010, four British tourists and two Peruvian crew members perished when an AirNasca plane crashed after a sightseeing flight.