Today's Edition
(DPA)
Thirteen people were killed when a small plane carrying tourists on a sightseeing flight over Peru's famous Nazca Lines crashed.
The aircraft had encountered an emergency situation and crashed for reasons that remained unclear, the Vista Alegre district government said on Saturday.
Eleven foreign tourists and two crew members were on board, Peruvian broadcaster RPP reported, citing the country's Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics.
The nationalities of the passengers had not been officially confirmed.
Italy's ANSA news agency reported, citing initial findings, that the victims included seven Italian tourists, two Germans, two Spaniards, a local guide and the pilot of the aircraft.
RPP said the plane, operated by Aerodiana, had taken off from the coastal city of Pisco for a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines before crashing in the Pueblo Viejo area of Nasca province.
The Nazca Lines are hundreds of huge geoglyphs carved into the desert in southern Peru.
Created between 500 BC and 500 AD, the drawings depict animals, stylized plants, mythical creatures and geometric shapes. They are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and are best viewed from the air.
