- A plane carrying foreign tourists crashed near Nazca in Peru, resulting in at least 13 fatalities.
- The crew reported an emergency at 1.00pm local time, after which all radio contact was lost; the plane subsequently caught fire, making rescue impossible.
- Firefighters and police were dispatched to extinguish the fire and carry out initial rescue efforts.
- Social media footage showed the smoking wreckage of what appeared to be a small plane; Reuters could not independently verify the footage.
Thirteen people died when a small tourist plane crashed near Peru's Nazca Lines on Saturday, as confirmed by local authorities. The Cessna Caravan C-208 aircraft, operated by Aerodiana, was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two crew members when it lost contact shortly after reporting an emergency at 1:00 PM local time.
The plane had departed from Pisco Airport at 12:10 PM and was flying over the Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its ancient geoglyphs. The crash occurred in the Socos area, approximately 6 km from Nazca and 19 km from the Nazca Lines site. Following the crash, the plane caught fire, making rescue efforts impossible, as reported by Peruvian broadcaster RPP.2
Aerodiana, which has been offering scenic flights over the Nazca Lines for 14 years, stated it would assess its flight schedule in accordance with authorities' directives. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and an investigation is underway. Notably, flights over the Nazca Lines had been suspended the previous day due to strong winds exceeding 40 kph (25 mph), which affected visibility. This incident highlights the risks associated with aerial tourism in the region, which attracts around 100,000 visitors annually.
“The crew reported an emergency to Nazca airport's control tower at 1.00pm local time before all radio contact was lost, and the plane caught fire after crashing, making rescue impossible. Footage shared on social media showed smoking wreckage on arid plains, which Reuters could not independently verify.”
The Independent
