Peru, 2 August 2026(Nosheen): All 13 people aboard a small tourist aircraft were killed after the plane crashed near Peru’s world-famous Nazca Lines archaeological site on Saturday, authorities confirmed. According to Peruvian police, the aircraft departed from Pisco Airport at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time for a sightseeing flight over the UNESCO World Heritage site before crashing shortly after takeoff near the district of Vista Alegre, about 240 kilometres south of Lima. Police Major Jorge Andrade stated that the victims included 11 foreign tourists and two crew members. He confirmed that there were no survivors due to the severity of the crash, adding that recovery teams had retrieved four bodies from the wreckage during the initial rescue operation.
Peru’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched a formal investigation to determine the cause of the accident. Investigators and emergency personnel were deployed to the crash site to collect evidence and assess the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism confirmed that all 11 passengers were foreign nationals and said it was coordinating with the respective embassies to provide assistance. According to local media reports, the victims included seven Italian tourists, two Germans, and two Spaniards.
Municipal authorities in Vista Alegre said preliminary information suggested the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency before crashing. Eyewitnesses reported that the plane burst into flames upon impact. The aircraft was operated by AeroDiana, a company offering sightseeing flights over the ancient Nazca Lines, a collection of massive geoglyphs carved into the Peruvian desert between 500 BC and 500 AD. The mysterious figures, depicting geometric patterns and animals, are considered one of Peru’s most significant archaeological attractions and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. AeroDiana said it would issue an official statement regarding the incident as more information becomes available.
The tragedy is the latest in a series of aviation accidents involving sightseeing flights in the region. In 2022, a similar crash claimed the lives of seven people, while in 2010 an AirNasca aircraft crashed after a sightseeing tour, killing four British tourists and two Peruvian crew members. Authorities have pledged a thorough investigation into the latest accident as recovery operations continue.