13 dead after small tourist plane crashes in Peru

Nazca (Peru) (AFP) – A small plane carrying foreign tourists to view Peru's famed Nazca Lines archaeological site crashed Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, police said.

Seven Italians, two Germans and two Spaniards were killed, along with two crew members, a spokesman for the transport ministry said.

The incident occurred shortly after 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) after the Cessna 208 Caravan took off from the airport in Pisco, located about 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of the capital Lima.

"We have information that 11 passengers and two crew members have died," Police Major Jorge Andrade told reporters at the crash site.

"Given the severity of the accident, there are no survivors. We have recovered four bodies so far," Andrade said, without identifying the victims.

He also did not give any immediate indication of what may have caused the crash.

Peru's civil aviation authority and the air accident agency will investigate the accident, the transport ministry said. Agents were already on the scene collecting evidence.

Firefighters and police, some wearing face masks, were working amid the twisted, smoldering wreckage of the aircraft. Some carried garbage bags.

One wheel of the plane sat near the debris, completely detached from the aircraft.

Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori said her government was mulling the possible closure of the Pisco airport.

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