Kathmandu— On Saturday, a small tourist aircraft operating out of Pisco, Peru, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 13 people aboard. Police Major Jorge Andrade confirmed that there were no survivors and that recovery efforts had begun for the victims, who included seven Italians, two Germans, and two Spaniards.

Investigation Underway

Peruvian authorities are currently investigating the cause of the crash. The plane lost contact with air traffic control shortly after taking off from Pisco Airport at around 1:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT). The aircraft was operated by Aerodiana, a local Peruvian company that has been offering scenic flights over the Nazca Lines for nearly 15 years. However, Aerodiana did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The crash site is located in Pueblo Viejo, approximately six kilometers from the city of Nazca and about twelve kilometers away from the famous archaeological site.

Historical Context

The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert floor near the city of Nazca in southern Peru. These intricate designs, some depicting animals and geometric shapes, can only be fully appreciated from above or through elevated viewing platforms. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of tourists each year.

This tragic incident is not the first involving tourist planes at the Nazca Lines. In 2022, another crash killed seven people, including two Chileans and three Dutch nationals. A similar fatal accident in 2010 claimed four British tourists and two Peruvian crew members.

(With inputs from DW)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.