13 killed in tourist plane crash in Peru

A small passenger plane carrying tourists to Peru’s famed Nazca Lines crashed on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, authorities said.

According to police, the victims included 11 passengers and two crew members. The aircraft had departed from Pisco in the Ica region and was en route to the UNESCO-listed archaeological site when it crashed.

Police official Major Jorge Andrade confirmed there were no survivors. Local media reported that rescue efforts were hampered after the aircraft caught fire following the crash.

The Nazca Lines, located in Peru’s southern desert, are renowned for their massive ancient geoglyphs depicting animals, plants and geometric figures. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions and is often viewed from the air.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known.

Source: Al Jazeera