The victims included 11 visitors from Italy, Spain and Germany and two Peruvian crew members, authorities said.
NAZCA, Peru — A small plane carrying European tourists on a sightseeing flight near Peru’s famed Nazca Lines crashed Saturday, killing all 13 people aboard, according to national and local authorities.
The aircraft was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two Peruvian crew members when it went down Aug. 1 near the southern city of Nazca. Authorities identified the passengers as seven Italian citizens, two Spanish citizens and two German citizens. Investigators had not announced what caused the crash as of Sunday.
The Peruvian Transportation Ministry identified the aircraft as a Cessna Caravan C-208 operated by Aerodiana, a Peruvian company that offers sightseeing flights over the ancient desert markings. The plane crashed in the Socos area, several miles from Nazca and near the archaeological site visited by travelers from around the world.
Officials said the flight crew reported an emergency to the control tower before radio contact was lost. Emergency crews, firefighters and police were sent to the crash site, where authorities determined there were no survivors. The aircraft caught fire after it went down, according to government and news reports.
The victims included seven Italian tourists between the ages of 18 and 54, two Spanish tourists who were both 52 and two German tourists who were 77 and 78, according to information released by Peruvian authorities. The pilot was identified as Américo Salazar, and the copilot was identified as Irenka Guanilo del Carpio.
Officials gave differing early accounts of the flight’s departure point, with some reports citing Ica and others saying the aircraft left from Pisco. Authorities said the passengers were traveling to see the Nazca Lines from the air when the emergency occurred. The exact route and timeline were expected to be examined as part of the investigation.
The Nazca Lines are large figures and geometric patterns carved into the desert floor in southern Peru. Created centuries ago, the geoglyphs include images of animals, plants and other forms that are difficult to fully view from ground level. Sightseeing flights are among the most common ways for visitors to see the site.
The crash came after strong winds and poor visibility affected parts of the region. Flights in the area had reportedly been suspended a day earlier because of weather conditions, but authorities had not said whether weather played a role in Saturday’s accident. Investigators had also not released information about the aircraft’s maintenance history or any mechanical problems.
Peru’s Aviation Accident Investigation Commission and other transportation authorities opened an investigation. Officials were expected to review communications with air traffic controllers, weather information, aircraft records and evidence collected from the crash site before issuing findings.
Aerodiana says it has operated flights over the Nazca Lines for about 14 years using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft. The company had not released a detailed public account of the accident by early Sunday. Authorities were working with foreign consulates and the victims’ families following the crash.
Officials had not announced when sightseeing flights in the area would resume. The investigation remained active, and authorities said the cause of the crash would not be determined until aviation specialists completed their review.
Author note: Last updated August 2, 2026.