Those killed included 11 passengers and two pilots flying over the famous archeological site, recognised by UNESCO.
Published On 1 Aug 2026
Thirteen people have been killed when a small plane crashed in Peru, according to police.
The crash on Saturday came as the plane was carrying passengers, described by authorities as mostly tourists, to view the famous Nazca Lines, a series of archaeological sites comprising monumental geoglyphs carved into the soil.
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“We have information that 11 passengers and two crew members have died,” Police Major Jorge Andrade told reporters from the crash site in the country’s south.
Peru’s Transportation Ministry said the dead included seven Italian citizens between the ages of 18 and 54, two 52-year-old Spaniards, and two Germans aged 77 and 78. The remaining two victims were the pilot, Americo Salazar, and copilot, Irenka Guanilo del Carpio.
Local media reports indicate that the crash site was quickly engulfed in flames, preventing any rescues. The plane reportedly departed from Pisco, in the department of Ica.
President Keiko Fujimori expressed regret over the accident and said a “temporary suspension” of the airport was being considered, pending reports from relevant ministries. Peruvian authorities said the crash is under investigation.
Peru is a major tourist destination, with visitors regularly travelling to visit the country’s historical sites, such as the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu and the giant Indigenous stone walls of Cusco.
More than 4.1 million tourists visited the country of just under 35 million in 2025, according to Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.
The Nazca Lines are located in the desert near the country’s southern coastal regions, along the Andean mountain range.
UNESCO describes the site as “among archaeology’s greatest enigmas because of their quantity, nature, size and continuity”.
“The geoglyphs depict living creatures, stylised plants and imaginary beings, as well as geometric figures several kilometres long,” according to UNESCO. “They are believed to have had ritual astronomical functions.”
Because of their enormous scale, the Nazca Lines are often viewed from the air, where the drawings of animals like monkeys, hummingbirds and cats can be seen more clearly.
Saturday’s crash involved a plane from the Peruvian sightseeing company Aerodiana, according to reports.