Disaster in Peru: 13 Dead in Light Plane Crash Near Nazca Lines
A tourist plane crashed in southern Peru while en route to view the Nazca Lines. Authorities confirmed that all 13 people on board perished in the accident.
Thirteen people were killed on Saturday when a small tourist plane crashed during a flight over the Nazca Lines archaeological site in southern Peru. The incident was reported by Peru's state news channel, "TVPeru", which confirmed that 11 passengers and two pilots were on board the aircraft. According to local reports, there were no survivors.
According to the news site "Peru 21", the crash occurred at approximately 12:55 local time. The flight had departed from Pisco Airport and was operated by the company "Aerodiana", which offers sightseeing flights over the famous site, as well as charter and cargo services. The crash site is located on agricultural land near the settlement of Pueblo Viejo in the Ica province.
While most sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines depart from Maria Reiche Airport, located near Pueblo Viejo, the aircraft involved in the crash had taken off from Pisco Airport and lost contact with the control tower just minutes later.
The Nazca Lines were first discovered in the 1920s across the Nazca Desert—a high, arid plateau stretching 85 km near the Pacific coast, roughly 400 km from Lima. These giant geoglyphs, attributed to the Nazca culture (200 BC – 600 AD), were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.
Many of the drawings, which include representations of humans, animals, and geometric shapes, are only fully visible from a great distance, such as from the air. The purpose of these prehistoric creations remains a subject of debate among researchers; theories range from religious motives—intended to be seen by the gods—to practical uses, such as helping the ancient inhabitants locate water sources in one of the world's most arid regions.
