Police say 13 killed as small plane viewing Nazca Lines in Peru crashes

A sightseeing aircraft crashed in Peru on Saturday while conducting a tour of the Nazca Lines, resulting in 13 fatalities. The flight departed from Pisco in the Ica region and was carrying mostly tourists interested in viewing the famous archeological site from the air. According to Police Major Jorge Andrade, the victims included 11 passengers and two crew members. Local reports indicate the crash site was rapidly consumed by fire, eliminating any possibility of rescue operations.

The Nazca Lines represent one of the world's most significant archeological complexes, comprising monumental geoglyphs carved into the desert landscape in Peru's southern coastal region near the Andes. Dating from approximately 500 BC to 500 AD, the site has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The geoglyphs depict various animals, stylized plants, imaginary beings, and geometric patterns spanning several kilometers. UNESCO characterizes the site as "among archaeology's greatest enigmas" due to the quantity, nature, size, and continuity of the drawings, which are believed to have served ritual and astronomical functions.

The scale of the Nazca Lines makes aerial viewing the primary method for tourists to appreciate the full scope of the designs, which include depictions of monkeys, hummingbirds, and cats. Peru attracts substantial international tourism, with more than 4.1 million visitors recorded in 2025 according to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism. The aircraft involved in Saturday's crash was part of Aerodiana's fleet, a Peruvian company specializing in sightseeing tours.