The tragedy occurred on Saturday in southern Peru when a small tourist plane crashed during a flight over the archaeological site known as the Nazca Lines. Thirteen people on board the flight, including 11 passengers and two pilots, were killed in the crash, authorities in the Nazca province confirmed in a statement.
The aircraft, which belonged to the local airline Aerodiana, crashed in the area of Pueblo Vieja. The crash site is located approximately six miles from the town of Nazca, while the archaeological lines, which are a world heritage site, are about 12 miles away. Flights over this site usually depart from the nearby Maria Reiche airport.
According to available information, the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but authorities have announced that an official investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances that led to the accident. Details on the technical condition of the aircraft or any potential navigational errors have not yet been released.
Flights over the Nazca Lines attract around 100,000 visitors annually who come to observe the mysterious geoglyphs from the air. However, flight conditions depend on the weather, and flights were suspended on Friday before the crash due to strong winds. The wind was blowing at a speed of more than 40 miles per hour, which was stirring up large amounts of dust and significantly reducing visibility, making the flights dangerous.
