Bogota. A major plane crash has occurred in the Peruvian city of Nazca. A plane carrying European tourists to the famous Nazca Lines crashed into a field, killing 13 people on board. Local authorities announced this after the accident.
The plane had departed from the city of Ica for an aerial tour.
The Nazca city administration stated that the plane took off from the nearby city of Ica on Saturday and was operated by the Peruvian airline Aerodiana. The company states on its website that it has been operating such flights using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft for the past 14 years, providing tourists with aerial views of the famous historical and archaeological site of the Nazca Lines.
The Nazca Lines are a group of large relief formations carved into the desert surface by indigenous communities in Peru hundreds of years ago. These formations depict various animals and can only be fully viewed from aircraft or special towers.
The deceased included several foreign nationals, including the pilot.
According to Peru’s Ministry of Transportation, the deceased included seven Italian citizens aged 18 to 54, two Spanish citizens aged 52, and two German citizens aged 77 and 78. The plane’s pilot, Américo Salazar, and co-pilot, Irenka Guanilo del Carpio, also died in the accident.
President Expresses Grief
President Keiko Fujimori expressed deep sorrow over the accident and said that a “temporary closure” of the airport was being considered. However, a final decision would be made only after receiving reports from the relevant ministries. Peruvian officials stated that the cause of the crash was being investigated. However, no immediate comment was available from Aerodiana.