Peru

Tourist Plane Crash Over Peru's Nazca Lines Kills 13

Is this a tragic accident pending investigation or proof of systemic aviation safety failures in Peru?

AUG 2·Updated AUG 3

Tourist Plane Crash Over Peru's Nazca Lines Kills 13

Story

Above: A police officer stands near the wreckage of the plane in the Vista Alegre District on Aug. 1. Image credit: Mariajulia Vareman/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

A small aircraft carrying 13 people crashed in an agricultural field a few miles away from the Peruvian city of Nazca on Saturday afternoon, bursting into flames and leaving no survivors.
Andina
BBC News
Reuters
The plane, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operated by the local airline Aerodiana, took off from the nearby Pisco Airport at around 12:10 p.m. local time on a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines.
Reuters
The US Sun
Aviation Safety Network on X
Peru's Ministry of Transport and Communications said in a statement that the crew reported an in-flight emergency around 1:00 p.m., while flying over the town of Socos, before all radio contact was lost. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
NBC News
The Telegraph
Eleven passengers, aged 18 to 78, were on board — seven Italian citizens belonging to two separate families, a 52-year-old couple from Spain and two related Germans aged 77 and 78 — as well as pilot Americo Salazar and copilot Irenka Guanilo del Carpio.
Agenzia ANSA
Andina
La República
Sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines were suspended on Friday as winds exceeding 25 mph (40 km/h) stirred up dust clouds that limited visibility, but resumed on Saturday before the accident.
EuroNews
The New York Times
The US Sun
The group of ancient geoglyphs carved into the desert, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, attracts thousands of tourists every year. Only fully visible from the air, the Nazca Lines have a record of deadly plane crashes, including one in 2022 that left seven people dead.
The Guardian
The Telegraph

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Peruvian aviation authorities have launched an immediate investigation into this tragic incident to understand what brought down the sightseeing flight, killing its passengers and crew. Before speculation spreads, it's key to note that causes take time to establish and that patience now serves the truth best.

Diario El Peruano‎

Narrative B

This crash exposes how dangerously safety standards have eroded at this iconic tourist destination. Flying over the Nazca Lines demands rigorous aircraft maintenance, highly trained pilots and strict meteorological protocols. Restoring tourist confidence will require permanent and independent oversight.