|
At least 13 people were killed when a small aircraft crashed in Peru, according to police, news agency Al Jazeera reported.
The incident occurred on Saturday as the aircraft was transporting passengers, identified by officials as predominantly tourists, to observe the renowned Nazca Lines, a collection of historic archaeological sites featuring massive geoglyphs carved into the ground. "We have information that 11 passengers and two crew members have died," Police Major Jorge Andrade told reporters at the crash site in the southern region of the country. According to Al Jazeera, local media outlets indicated that the crash site was rapidly engulfed in fire, making immediate rescue operations impossible. The aircraft had reportedly taken off from Pisco in the department of Ica, while further details regarding the cause were not immediately available. Peru remains a premier international travel destination, attracting visitors from around the world to explore the nation's heritage landmarks, including the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and the massive Indigenous stone structures of Cusco. Al Jazeera reported that more than 4.1 million international tourists visited the South American nation of nearly 35 million inhabitants in 2025, based on figures released by Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism. The famous Nazca Lines are situated in the desert region adjacent to the country's southern coast, running along the Andean mountain range. Dating back to between 500 BC and 500 AD, the site has been formally designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) due to its profound cultural value. UNESCO defines the archaeological site as "among archaeology's greatest enigmas because of their quantity, nature, size and continuity". "The geoglyphs depict living creatures, stylised plants and imaginary beings, as well as geometric figures several kilometres long," UNESCO stated on its official portal, adding that "They are believed to have had ritual astronomical functions." Due to their vast physical scale, the ancient figures are predominantly viewed from aircraft, allowing passengers to clearly observe the carved depictions of animals, including monkeys, hummingbirds and cats. Saturday's fatal crash involved an aircraft belonging to the fleet of Peruvian sightseeing operator Aerodiana, Al Jazeera reported, citing local accounts. (ANI)
|
