A tourist aircraft crashed near Peru's UNESCO-listed Nazca Lines on Saturday (1 August), killing all 13 people on board, authorities said.
The aircraft went down in the Pueblo Viejo area shortly after departing María Reiche Airport for a sightseeing flight over the ancient geoglyphs. The victims included 11 passengers from Germany, Italy and Spain and two crew members.
Peruvian National Police Major Jorge Andrade confirmed the details.
"Eleven passengers and two crew members, which would be the pilot and the guide or co-pilot, but it is a tourism service aircraft," Andrade told reporters.
Asked whether there were any survivors, he replied, "Given the magnitude, no, there are none."
The Ministry said 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.
Firefighters were seen battling smoke rising from the wreckage as emergency crews secured the crash site.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and authorities have not released the identities of the victims.
William Acosta, an inspector with Peru's Civil Aviation Directorate General, said Italian tourists were believed to be among those killed, although he could not confirm the nationalities of all passengers.
The crash occurred just one day after sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines resumed following a temporary suspension caused by strong winds, according to Peru's state news agency Andina.
The Nazca Lines, enormous geoglyphs etched into the desert in southern Peru, are one of the country's best-known tourist attractions and have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. They are typically viewed from small sightseeing aircraft departing from nearby airfields.
The aircraft involved in Saturday's crash belonged to local operator Aerodiana, according to municipal authorities, who expressed their condolences to the victims' families.
The accident is the latest in a series of fatal crashes involving sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines.
In 2022, seven people were killed when another tourist aircraft crashed near the site, while a similar accident in 2010 claimed six lives.
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing it...
Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for talks on Afghanistan, focusing on security, economic cooperation and Kabul’s relations with ...
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international scrutiny, while authorities say there is no evidence of an outbreak.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment