Thirteen people, including foreign tourists and two pilots, died when a sightseeing plane crashed near Peru's Nazca Lines archaeological site, according to local authorities.
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Key facts
- 13 people were killed, including 11 passengers and two pilots.
- The aircraft was a Cessna Grand Caravan on a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines.
- The plane crashed in Pueblo Viejo, about 4 miles (6km) from the city of Nazca.
- Foreign tourists were among the dead, according to Peruvian police.
- The Nazca Lines are a UNESCO-recognised archaeological site.
A tourist plane crashed in southern Peru on Friday, killing 13 people, including foreign tourists, according to local authorities. Police in Peru confirmed that the aircraft was carrying passengers on a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines when it came down.
Local authorities in Nazca said 11 tourists and two pilots died when the Cessna Grand Caravan crashed in Pueblo Viejo, roughly 4 miles (6km) from the city of Nazca and about 12km from the Nazca Lines site, according to the Guardian.
Accounts of the flight’s departure point varied between reports. One Guardian account said the plane had departed from the nearby city of Pisco, while another said it took off from the city of Ica. The small plane was flying over the Nazca Lines archaeological site when it crashed, according to local reports cited by the BBC.
Nazca’s municipal government said the plane was taking tourists on a sightseeing flight of the Nazca Lines, a group of extensive geoglyphs scraped into the desert around Nazca hundreds of years ago by Peru’s Indigenous inhabitants. The lines form images of animals that can only be fully appreciated from planes or viewing towers.
Al Jazeera reported that those killed included 11 passengers and two pilots flying over the famous archaeological site, which is recognised by UNESCO. The crash into a field was confirmed by local authorities, according to multiple outlets including Sky News and the Guardian.
Why it matters
The Nazca Lines draw visitors from around the world, and aerial sightseeing flights are one of the few ways to view the ancient geoglyphs in full. A fatal crash involving foreign tourists raises fresh concerns about the safety of these popular flights.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in the Peru plane crash?
Local authorities said 13 people died, including 11 passengers and two pilots.
What type of plane crashed?
According to the Guardian, the aircraft was a Cessna Grand Caravan.
Where did the plane crash?
The plane crashed in Pueblo Viejo, approximately 4 miles (6km) from the city of Nazca and about 12km from the Nazca Lines site.
Timeline
- Tourist plane crashes during flight over Peru’s Nazca Lines, killing 13
The Guardian World: Aircraft crashes into field after departing from nearby city of Pisco, according to local authorities Police in Peru report that 13 people, among them foreign tourists, have been killed in a plane crash in southern Peru, near the Nazca Lines. Local authorities in Nazca confirmed
- Police say 13 killed as small plane viewing Nazca Lines in Peru crashes
Al Jazeera: Those killed included 11 passengers and two pilots flying over the famous archeological site, recognised by UNESCO.
- Tourist plane crashes in Peru, killing 13
BBC World: The small plane was flying over the Nazca Lines archaeological site when it crashed, according to local reports.
- At least 13 dead as tourist plane crashes during flight over Peru’s Nazca Lines
The Guardian World: Plane crashes into field after departing from the nearby city of Ica, according to local authorities At least 13 people have died after a plane carrying tourists crashed into a field in Peru, local authorities said. Nazca’s municipal government said the plane was taking tourists
- Tourist plane crash leaves 13 dead in Peru
Sky News: A tourist plane has crashed in Peru, leaving 13 people dead, according to local authorities.