All 13 people aboard a Cessna Grand Caravan C-208 operated by local airline Aerodiana died when the aircraft went down near Peru's Nazca Lines on Saturday.
The light aircraft had taken off from Pisco Airport on a sightseeing flight over the 2,500-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site when it lost contact with air traffic controllers and crashed in the Pueblo Viejo region, shortly after 1pm local time (7pm BST).
No survivors after crash
Local police confirmed there were no survivors. The flight carried 11 international tourists and two Peruvian pilots. Reports identified seven Italians, two Germans and two Spanish tourists on board, along with pilot Americo Salazar Cuellar and co-pilot Irenka Del Carpio.
"Given the severity of the accident, there are no survivors. We have recovered four bodies so far," Police Major Jorge Andrade told reporters at the scene.
Rescue and investigation
Shocking footage from the scene showed firefighters dousing smouldering wreckage in the desert while police worked to recover bodies. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown, and local aviation authorities have launched a full investigation.
In an online statement, the Municipalidad Provincial de Nasca expressed its "deep sorrow" over the tragedy and extended "heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased." Aerodiana said it would adjust its flight schedules in accordance with directives from the investigating authorities.
Popular flights over ancient geoglyphs
The aircraft had taken tourists to view one of South America's most famous archaeological marvels. The geoglyphs were created mainly by the ancient Nazca culture between 500 BC and 500 AD, making them nearly 2,000 years old. The sprawling desert site was officially recognised by UNESCO in 1994, and features hundreds of straight lines and giant animal depictions, including a hummingbird, a monkey, a spider, and a whale.
Because the massive designs are only fully visible from the air, short aerial tours in light aircraft have become immensely popular with international tourists.
Previous crashes in the area
This is not the first tragedy to strike the area. In 2022, seven people, including Dutch and Chilean nationals, died in a light aircraft crash over the site. In 2010, four British tourists and two Peruvian crew members were killed in an AirNasca crash, while five French tourists were killed two years earlier.
