Thirteen people, including two Spanish tourists, died when a small plane crashed and caught fire near the Nazca Lines in southern Peru. The aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan registered as OB-2001 and operated by AeroDiana, was returning from a sightseeing flight over the famous geoglyphs, a major draw for international visitors. Among the victims were seven Italians from two families, the Peruvian pilot and guide, and two couples, one from Spain and one from Germany, information from initial reports from Peruvian authorities.
The plane had departed from Pisco airport, about 240 kilometers south of Lima, and was nearing Nazca airport when it lost contact with air traffic control. The crash happened around 1 p.m. local time on August 1, 2026, in the Pueblo Viejo area, approximately six kilometers from Nazca city and twelve kilometers from the archaeological site. The aircraft burst into flames on impact, hampering rescue efforts, emergency services at the scene said.
Police and firefighters responded, extinguishing the fire before searching the wreckage for evidence. The area was cordoned off for several hours so investigators and emergency teams could work safely. The victims’ remains were transferred to the Ica region morgue, while Peru’s Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes de Aviación (CIAA) began collecting technical evidence. CIAA president Carlos Portocarrero Bustamante coordinated the investigation, with Carlos Cordero Paredes serving as lead investigator. The tourists’ identities were not released out of respect for their families.
Preliminary information from the Vista Alegre municipality indicated that the aircraft suffered an in-flight emergency. That early indication does not establish what caused the crash. Investigators are examining operational records and procedures, along with human factors and technical evidence, including through interviews with the operator and flight personnel. The wreckage was transferred to Pisco for inspection.
Chile’s Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) provided technical assistance to the Peruvian investigators. The cooperation was intended to help analyze operational procedures and human factors, while Peru retained exclusive responsibility for the official inquiry. Chilean participation was technical support, not a transfer of investigative authority or a determination of the cause. The CIAA investigation remained active in October 2026, with no final explanation publicly reported in the cited material.
AeroDiana, the company operating the flight, announced plans to release a statement with further details. Its flights, lasting between 30 minutes and an hour, offer aerial views of the Nazca Lines, ancient geoglyphs more than 2,000 years old that are visible from above and attract around 100,000 visitors annually.
Weather conditions may have played a role: a sandstorm the previous day forced the suspension of tourist flights in the area. Strong winds reduced visibility, causing other planes to divert to Marcona airport instead of the usual María Reiche airstrip. Flights resumed on the day of the accident, but investigators have not established weather or any other specific factor as the cause.
This was not the first fatal crash in the region. In 2022, a similar accident claimed seven lives, including two Chileans and three Dutch tourists. Another crash in 2010 killed four British tourists and two Peruvian crew members after a flight over the archaeological site. The Nazca Lines remain a high-profile but challenging destination for aerial tourism, with safety concerns periodically resurfacing.
Emergency responses to disasters in tourist areas have become a recurring issue in the region. For example, when a large sinkhole forced the evacuation of several buildings in Barcelona, authorities acted swiftly to secure the area and protect residents, as detailed in this related report.
The Nazca Lines, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are among Peru’s most iconic attractions. Created by the Nazca culture, the geoglyphs depict animals and plants alongside geometric shapes across the desert. Despite their popularity, the risks associated with sightseeing flights highlight ongoing challenges for tourism safety in the region.
