A sightseeing plane carrying tourists to view Peru’s famous Nazca Lines crashed shortly after takeoff from an airport near the desert site, killing all 13 people on board, authorities said. The victims included seven Italians, two Germans and two Spaniards, along with two crew members, according to a spokesperson from Peru’s transport ministry.
The crash involved a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by AeroDiana, a company that offers short aerial tours over the ancient Nazca Lines. The aircraft took off from Pisco airport, located around 240 kilometres south of Peru’s capital Lima, shortly after 1 pm local time.
What happened to the plane carrying tourists over Nazca Lines?
Police Major Jorge Andrade confirmed that 11 passengers and two crew members died in the crash. He said there were no survivors due to the severity of the accident.
“Given the severity of the accident, there are no survivors. We have recovered four bodies so far,” Andrade told reporters at the crash site.
Authorities have not yet revealed the identities of the victims or the possible reason behind the crash. Officials said Peru’s civil aviation authority and the air accident investigation agency will examine the incident and collect evidence from the crash site.
Firefighters and police teams were seen working among the damaged and burning remains of the aircraft. Some rescuers were wearing face masks while searching through the wreckage. A detached wheel of the plane was also found near the crash site.
Was there any warning before the deadly plane crash?
Officials in Vista Alegre, the area where the aircraft went down, said preliminary information suggested the plane suffered an “in-flight emergency”. However, they did not provide further details about what went wrong.
A local resident claimed that the aircraft exploded after hitting the ground.
Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori said her government was considering the possibility of shutting down Pisco airport following the tragedy.
First published on: Aug 02, 2026 08:20 AM IST
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About the Author
Shivam Verma
Shivam Verma is a Chief-Sub-Editor at News24. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football, both playing and watching, and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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