Tourist plane crash in Peru kills 13

A tourist aircraft crashed in southern Peru on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board during a sightseeing

LIMA: A tourist aircraft crashed in southern Peru on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board during a sightseeing flight over the world-famous Nazca Lines, authorities confirmed.

The aircraft, identified as a Cessna Caravan C-208, was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two pilots when it went down near the Nazca archaeological site shortly after taking off from Pisco Airport.

According to officials, the passengers included seven Italian nationals, two Germans and two Spaniards. Emergency responders rushed to the crash site, but there were no survivors.

Police and rescue teams launched recovery operations immediately after the accident. Authorities said the impact completely destroyed the aircraft, making rescue efforts impossible. Investigators have begun examining the wreckage to determine what caused the crash.

The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attract thousands of visitors every year. The enormous ancient geoglyphs, etched into the desert more than 1,500 years ago, are best viewed from the air, making sightseeing flights a popular tourist activity.

Local authorities expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the victims’ families. The airline operating the flight said it would cooperate fully with investigators and review its flight operations in line with directives from aviation authorities.

The accident is the latest in a series of aviation incidents involving sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines. Similar crashes in previous years have raised concerns about the safety of tourist flights in the region.

Officials said a full investigation is underway to establish the exact circumstances behind the fatal crash.