Thirteen people died when a small tourist plane crashed while conducting a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines in southern Peru. The crash occurred on Saturday in the Pueblo Viejo area of Nasca province, according to the local government of the Vista Alegre district.

The aircraft, operated by Aerodiana, had departed from the coastal city of Pisco earlier that day. It was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two crew members when it encountered an emergency situation and went down. The precise cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

Peru’s Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics confirmed the number of people on board, while the German Foreign Office stated that two German nationals were among the victims. Initial reports from Italy’s ANSA news agency, citing early findings, identified the deceased as seven Italian tourists, two Germans, two Spaniards, a local guide, and the pilot.

The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site, consist of hundreds of large ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert between 500 BC and 500 AD. These intricate designs depict animals, stylized plants, mythical figures, and geometric shapes and are most effectively observed from the air, often attracting aerial sightseeing tours such as the ill-fated flight.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash as search and recovery efforts proceed. The incident has underscored concerns about the safety of aerial tours over the fragile and remote archaeological site.