13 Killed in Tourist Plane Crash Near Peru’s Nazca Lines
A small tourist plane crashed Saturday while flying over the Nazca Lines archaeological site in southern Peru killing 13 people.
The aircraft was carrying 11 passengers and two pilots when it went down near Pueblo Viejo, about six kilometres from the city of Nazca and about 12 kilometres from the famous Nazca Lines, authorities in Nazca province said.
The craft, operated by local airline Aerodiana, had left Pisco Airport for a sightseeing tour of the UNESCO-listed site. Local media said the aircraft lost contact with the control tower just minutes after take-off.
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The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. An investigation has been launched by the authorities to determine the circumstances of the accident.
Some of the main tourist attractions in Peru include the Nazca Lines, a series of giant geoglyphs and geometric designs etched into the desert, attracting around 100,000 visitors each year. Sightseeing flights are a popular option for tourists to see the ancient landmarks.
Flights over the Nazca Lines from nearby María Reiche Airport were suspended on Friday due to strong winds of more than 40 kilometres an hour that reduced visibility by blowing dust, officials said.
Local media said one plane with two Peruvian tourists and another with six foreigners were forced to land at Marcona Airport because of the bad weather.
