A sightseeing plane crashed near Peru’s Nazca Lines archaeological site, killing all 13 people aboard, the country’s government said.
According to Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Cessna Caravan C-208 was carrying 11 foreign tourists from Germany, Italy and Spain, along with two crew members.
The aircraft went down in the Socos area, about 6km from the city of Nazca and approximately 19km from the Nazca Lines site, the ministry said.
Operated by local airline Aerodiana, the plane departed from Pisco Airport at around 12.10pm local time, or 4.10pm Irish time.
The aircraft caught fire after the crash, leaving no possibility of rescue, according to Peruvian broadcaster RPP.
Firefighters and municipal police were sent to the scene to put out the blaze and begin initial rescue operations.
The cause of the crash has not been established, and the government said an investigation is under way.
Aerodiana said it “will assess its flight schedule in accordance with the directives of the relevant authorities”.
The Nazca Lines are vast drawings and geometric shapes carved into desert plains in southern Peru. The ancient site is among the country’s leading tourist attractions, drawing about 100,000 visitors each year.
Tourists generally see the formations from small aircraft operating flights above the archaeological site.
