Thirteen die in tourist plane crash over Peru’s Nazca Lines

A small tourist plane crashed on Saturday while flying over Peru's Nazca Lines archaeological site, killing all 13 people on board. The victims included 11 foreign tourists from Germany, Italy, and Spain, along with two crew members.

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The plane crashed in the area of Socos, approximately 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Nazca and roughly 19 km (12 miles) from the Nazca Lines site.

The aircraft, a Cessna Caravan C-208 belonging to the local airline Aerodiana, had departed from Pisco Airport. Approximately 40 minutes into its flight, the crew reported an emergency to the Nazca airport control tower before all radio contact was lost. The plane crashed in the Socos area, about 6 km from the city of Nazca and 19 km from the Nazca Lines site.

Peruvian broadcaster RPP reported that the plane caught fire after crashing, making rescue efforts impossible. Firefighters and municipal police were dispatched to the scene. Footage shared on social media, which Reuters could not independently verify, showed the smoking wreckage on arid plains.

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After crashing, the plane caught fire, making any rescue impossible.

The Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communications stated that the cause of the crash is unknown and is currently under investigation. Aerodiana confirmed it would assess its flight schedule according to authorities' directives. Flights over the Nazca Lines, a major tourist attraction, had been suspended on Friday due to strong winds that reduced visibility, forcing other aircraft to divert.

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will assess its flight schedule in accordance with the directives of the relevant authorities.