Lima, Peru: A tourist aircraft carrying foreign visitors on a sightseeing tour over Peru’s world-famous Nazca Lines crashed near the city of Nazca on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, according to the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC).

The ministry confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two crew members, adding that there were no survivors. Authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

Aircraft Lost Contact After Reporting an Emergency

According to the MTC, the aircraft involved was a Cessna Caravan C-208 (registration OB-2001) operated by Aerodiana, an airline authorised to conduct special tourist sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines.

The aircraft departed Pisco Airport at 12:10 p.m. local time with 11 passengers of Italian, German and Spanish nationalities along with two crew members. The flight was scheduled to provide tourists with an aerial view of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nazca Lines.

At around 1:00 p.m., while flying near Socos in the Pueblo Nuevo district, the crew reported an emergency to the control tower at Nazca Aerodrome. Shortly afterwards, all radio communication with the aircraft was lost, prompting emergency response teams to begin a search operation.

Rescue Teams Confirmed No Survivors

Following the loss of contact, personnel from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), Aeronautical Firefighters of the Peruvian Airports and Commercial Aviation Corporation (CORPAC), and the Peruvian National Police were immediately deployed to the crash site.

After reaching the wreckage, rescue teams confirmed that all 13 people on board had died.

The Peruvian government expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and said it was coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that relatives were informed through official channels before the information was made public.

Investigation Underway Into Cause of Crash

Peruvian authorities have activated technical investigation protocols to determine what caused the fatal accident.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) and the Aviation Accident Investigation Commission are leading the investigation and will examine the aircraft, flight records, maintenance history and communication data.

Officials have not yet identified the cause of the crash, and there has been no confirmation whether the accident was linked to mechanical failure, weather conditions or any other operational issue.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications said it would provide full support to investigators and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening aviation safety.

Nazca Lines: One of Peru’s Biggest Tourist Attractions

The Nazca Lines are among Peru’s most famous archaeological landmarks and have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.

Located in the country’s southern desert region, the massive geoglyphs were created between 500 BC and 500 AD and depict animals, birds, plants, geometric shapes and mythical figures spread across the desert floor. Because the figures can only be fully appreciated from above, aerial sightseeing flights remain one of the most popular tourist experiences in the region.

The latest tragedy has cast a shadow over Peru’s tourism sector, with authorities expected to release more details once the investigation progresses.