A tourist aircraft carrying visitors to Peru's world-famous Nazca Lines crashed near the city of Nazca on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, authorities said.

The aircraft had departed from the nearby city of Ica and was conducting a sightseeing flight over the ancient geoglyphs when it crashed into a field and caught fire.

All On Board Killed

According to local authorities, the plane was carrying 11 tourists and two pilots.

Rescue teams recovered charred bodies from the crash site, while debris from the aircraft was scattered across the field. Officials have not yet released the identities or nationalities of the victims.

An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.

Scenic Flight Over UNESCO Heritage Site

The flight was operated by Aerodiana, a Peruvian airline that has been offering aerial tours of the Nazca Lines for the past 14 years using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft.

The company had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting.

About the Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are a UNESCO World Heritage Site located around 400 kilometres south of Lima.

Created by the ancient Nazca civilisation between 200 BC and 600 AD, the giant geoglyphs were formed by removing the desert's dark surface stones to reveal lighter soil beneath.

The figures include monkeys, hummingbirds, spiders, condors, whales, trees and human hands. Many stretch between 100 and 300 metres, while some straight lines extend for several kilometres.

Because of their immense size, the designs can only be fully appreciated from aircraft or specially constructed observation towers.

Researchers continue to debate their purpose, with theories ranging from religious ceremonies and astronomical observations to water-related rituals and cultural practices.

Previous Accidents

The latest tragedy is not the first aviation accident involving tourist flights over the Nazca Lines.

• In 2022, a sightseeing aircraft crashed near the heritage site, killing seven people.

• In 2010, another tourist plane crashed in the same region, leaving six people dead.

Authorities are now examining the circumstances surrounding Saturday's crash as investigators work to establish what caused the aircraft to go down.