LIMA, PERU Aug. 2: A small tourist aircraft crashed near Peru's world-famous Nazca Lines on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, Peruvian authorities and local media said, the BBC reported.
The aircraft, a Cessna Caravan C 208, was conducting a sightseeing flight over the UNESCO World Heritage Site when it went down near the Pueblo Viejo area shortly after departing from Pisco Airport, the BBC reported.
Massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake hits coast of Peru
The victims included 11 tourists and two pilots. Peru's state news agency said the passengers comprised seven Italians, two Germans and two Spaniards, according to the BBC.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, authorities said, the BBC reported.
Police Major Jorge Andrade confirmed there were no survivors. "Given the severity of the accident, there are no survivors. We have recovered four bodies so far," he said, according to AFP, as cited by the BBC.
Video footage released by Reuters showed firefighters spraying water over the wreckage as smoke billowed from the crash site, the BBC reported.
In a statement posted online, the Municipality of Nasca expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Officials also confirmed that the aircraft belonged to the local airline Aerodiana, the BBC reported.
Aerodiana said it would review its flight operations in line with instructions from the relevant authorities as the investigation proceeds, Reuters reported, according to the BBC.
The Nazca Lines, a vast collection of giant ancient geoglyphs etched into Peru's desert, are among the country's most visited tourist attractions. Thousands of visitors take scenic flights each year to view the enormous figures, which can only be fully appreciated from the air, the BBC reported.
The latest crash is not the first fatal accident involving sightseeing flights over the site. In 2022, a tourist aircraft crashed while flying over the Nazca Lines, killing all seven people on board. A similar accident in 2010 claimed six lives, the BBC reported.
