Seven dead as tourist plane crashes in Peru

Five tourists and two crew died on Friday when their plane crashed on a trip to view Peru's famous Nazca lines, the transport ministry said. The Cessna 207 single-engine plane belonging to the Aero santos tourism company came down shortly after takeoff from Nazca-Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC/SPZA) around noon, it said in a statement. It came down at the edge of a road.
The plane exploded on impact and burst into flames said Canal N, which published video of the smoking remains of the aircraft. There were no survivors among the seven on board, which a diplomatic source said included two Chilean tourists.

Dozens of planes operate from the Maria Reiche airfield, flying tourists -- mainly foreigners -- over the Nazca lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site. They are believed to have had ritual astronomical function or to have served as a calendar. Most are only visible from the sky.

A large number of firefighters and police teams were dispatched to the scene of crash.

An investigation regarding cause of the crash has been started.

In October 2010, four British tourists and two Peruvian crew members were killed when an Air Nasca aircraft crashed over the lines.

Aircraft Information:

Owner / Operator: Aero Santos

Aircraft: Cessna T207A Turbo Stationair 8

Registration: OB-2179

Serial Number: 

Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND THE STAFF OF AERO SANTOS

The Nazca Lines are a group of very large lines / shapes made in the soil of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru.