Tragedy Strikes Peru's Nazca Lines as Plane Carrying European Tourists Crashes

A devastating plane crash occurred on Saturday in Peru, claiming the lives of all 13 people on board. The small aircraft, which was operated by Peruvian airline Aerodiana, was on a scenic flight over the renowned Nazca Lines, a UNESCO-listed site featuring vast geoglyphs etched into the desert by Peru's Indigenous inhabitants. The plane, a Cessna Grand Caravan, had taken off from the nearby city of Ica and was headed to the city of Nazca when it crashed into a field. According to Nazca's municipal government, the victims included seven Italian tourists aged between 18 and 54, two 52-year-old Spanish nationals, and two German tourists aged 77 and 78. The pilot, Américo Salazar, and co-pilot Irenka Guanilo del Carpio, were also among the victims. Peru's President, Keiko Fujimori, expressed her condolences and announced that authorities are considering a temporary suspension of operations at the airport. An investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched by Peruvian authorities. Aerodiana, which has been offering scenic flights over the Nazca Lines for 14 years, has not yet commented on the incident. The Nazca Lines, which can only be fully viewed from the air or from specially built observation towers, are a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world.