13 Killed as Tourist Plane Crashes Near Peru's Nazca Lines During Sightseeing Flight

Peru: Painful news came from Peru on Saturday. A small plane that had set out to show the aerial view of the Nazca Lines, which attracts tourists from all over the world, fell on the way. All 13 people on board the plane died. It included 11 foreign tourists and 2 crew members. The accident is currently under investigation.

When and where did the plane take off?

According to the Peruvian Ministry of Transport, it was a Cessna Caravan C-208 plane. It is run by Aerodiana company. The plane took off from Pisco Airport at around 12:10 pm on Saturday. The objective was to provide a view of the Nazca Lines from above. The plane was carrying 11 tourists from Italy, Germany and Spain and 2 pilots.

What happened before it fell?

Shortly after takeoff, the plane was over the Socos area near Nazca. Then the pilot informed the control tower about the emergency. A few minutes later the plane disappeared from radar. Radio contact was also lost. After this the search operation was started immediately.

What did the teams that reached the spot find?

Civil Aviation Department, fire brigade, police all reached the spot. The wreckage of the plane was scattered at the crash site. But no one inside could be saved. All 13 people died on the spot.

What is the government doing now?

The Peruvian government has expressed grief over the accident. The Foreign Ministry is also involved in this because most of the dead are foreigners. The work of providing information to the family members has been started.

Who will conduct the investigation and what could be the reason?

The government has given the responsibility to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission. Now they will see 3 things – what the technical condition of the plane was, what the weather was like and whether there is any other reason. Only after the report comes will it be clear why the accident happened.

Why are the Nazca Lines so special?

The Nazca Lines are thousands-of-years-old formations formed in the Peruvian desert. These are not visible from the ground. Animals, birds, trees and strange designs – all are created on the sand. That is why they are seen from above only. 

These are also UNESCO World Heritage. Every year thousands of tourists come to Peru just to see them and take the help of such small planes. After this accident, questions are also being raised on the safety of tourist flights. The investigation report is awaited.