The fatal incident highlights ongoing safety scrutiny surrounding the popular aerial sightseeing industry in the Ica region.
The Crash and Victims
The aircraft belonged to the regional carrier Aerodiana and had taken off just minutes earlier from Pisco’s Maria Reiche Airport, according to local news reports cited by ANSA. The flight was carrying 11 tourists, a pilot, and a tourist guide when it lost contact with air traffic control shortly before 1:00 p.m. local time. Officials confirmed that the impact was severe and left no survivors. The 13 victims included seven Italian nationals, two Spanish nationals, and two German nationals, alongside the flight crew and guide.
Weather Conditions and Investigation
According to initial reports, investigators are examining adverse weather as a potential factor in the disaster. Strong regional winds in the hours surrounding the flight had triggered fallen trees, infrastructure damage, and road accidents, forcing temporary suspensions of flight operations across several provinces. William Acosta, an inspector with Peru’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC), stated that specialized investigators from Lima were deployed to the crash site to conduct a formal inquiry. César Martínez Elías, a Nazca firefighter, confirmed to local media that the aircraft involved was a Cessna Caravan 201B.
Nazca Lines Tourism Context
The doomed flight was chartered to provide an aerial view of the Nazca Lines, an ancient pre-Columbian archaeological site featuring more than 13,000 lines carved into the desert floor. These geoglyphs form roughly 800 stylized animal and plant designs, including a 180-meter-long lizard, a hummingbird, a condor, a massive 45-meter spider, and a whale.
Diplomatic Response
The Italian Embassy in Lima announced it was in direct contact with Peruvian authorities to provide consular assistance and monitor the investigation into the cause of the crash. Search and rescue teams, alongside aviation safety inspectors, secured the remote site as forensic teams worked to identify all victims.
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