Thirteen Dead in Tourist Plane Crash Over Nazca Lines in Peru

Thirteen people died on Saturday, August 1, when a small tourist aircraft crashed in the Pueblo Viejo sector of Nasca, Peru. The aircraft, a Cessna Caravan C-208 operated by the company Aerodiana, was conducting a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines. All occupants perished in the crash, which occurred around 1:00 p.m. local time. The victims include 11 foreign tourists and two Peruvian crew members: pilot Americo Salazar Cuellar and co-pilot Irenka del Carpio. Among the tourists were seven Italians, two Germans, and two Spaniards.

The plane departed from the Pisco airport at 12:10 p.m. and reportedly lost contact with the control tower after reporting an emergency around 1:00 p.m. Witnesses reported a strong explosion and fire upon impact in an agricultural area. Video footage shared on social media appears to show the aircraft losing pieces in flight before crashing. The bodies were transported to the morgue in Ica, where the Ministry Public and the Institute of Legal Medicine are conducting DNA and anthropometric tests for official identification.

Diplomatic representatives from Italy and Germany have arrived in the region to coordinate with Peruvian authorities and assist families. The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism have activated protocols to support the diplomatic missions. Investigations are being led by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) and the Aeronautical Investigation Board, which are working to recover the black box.

Reports on the cause of the accident vary. Some sources suggest that adverse weather conditions and strong winds in the region may have contributed to the crash. Other reports focus on the technical history of the Cessna 208 model, noting both its global reputation as a reliable aircraft and a series of recent fatal accidents in other countries. Local officials in Nasca have also raised questions regarding the oversight and maintenance of aircraft used for these tourist flights, stating that the DGAC is the entity responsible for such supervision.