Two Italian families die when plane goes down during tourist flight in Peru.Seven Italian tourists were among 13 people killed when a small sightseeing aircraft crashed in southern Peru on Saturday while returning from a flight over the Nazca Lines.The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, operated by Peruvian carrier Aerodiana, had taken off from Pisco airport at around 12.10 local time for a tourist flight over the Nazca site. According to reconstructions by local broadcaster RPP, the pilot declared an emergency at 13.01 as the aircraft approached the María Reiche aerodrome near Nazca, before all contact was lost. Rescue teams later spotted a column of smoke around eight kilometres from the aerodrome, and another aircraft in the area confirmed the fire, allowing emergency crews to reach the crash site in the Pueblo Viejo sector. The impact with the ground was extremely violent, and there were no survivors; the aircraft was quickly engulfed in flames, and firefighters who reached the scene were unable to do anything to save the passengers. The Italian victims were two women, aged 58 and 57, and five men, including an 18-year-old and two 24-year-olds. They belonged to two families from the northern Lombardia region: Elena Sala (58), Lorenzo Angelucci (24), Massimo Angelucci (58), Cristina Maria Bianco (57), Paolo Gianturco (59), Matteo Gianturco (24) and Pietro Gianturco (18). Also on board were two German nationals, Andreas Hofmann (78) and Gertrud Maria Hofmann (77), and two Spaniards, Alfredo Avilés Muñoyerro and Ana Isabel Sánchez Muñoz, both 52, along with the two Peruvian crew members, pilot Américo Alejandro Salazar Cuéllar and co-pilot Irenka del Carpio Guanilo. Italy's foreign ministry confirmed the deaths of the seven Italian nationals in a statement. "The Italian embassy in Lima has been in contact with the Peruvian authorities, from whom it has received confirmation of the passengers' deaths. The families of the Italian nationals have been informed in Italy," the statement said. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani has remained in contact with the ambassador in Lima, who has sent staff to the scene of the accident. Peru's transport, tourism and foreign ministries are coordinating activities with the embassies of the countries involved. The Farnesina stated that Peruvian authorities have opened an investigation to establish the causes of the accident, which occurred during "adverse weather conditions". Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her sorrow over the tragedy. "Profound grief for the tragic plane crash in Peru, in which seven Italian citizens also lost their lives," she wrote on social media. "To their loved ones I extend, on behalf of the Italian government and personally, my most sincere closeness at this moment of immense sorrow." The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprise more than 13,000 lines forming some 800 figures across the desert floor, including stylised animals such as a whale, a hummingbird, a condor and a spider roughly 45 metres long, drawing thousands of visitors on sightseeing flights each year.

Seven Italian tourists were among 13 people killed when a small sightseeing aircraft crashed in southern Peru on Saturday while returning from a flight over the Nazca Lines. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, operated by Peruvian carrier Aerodiana, had taken off from Pisco airport at around 12.10 local time for a tourist flight over the Nazca site. According to reconstructions by local broadcaster RPP, the pilot declared an emergency at 13.01 as the aircraft approached the María Reiche aerodrome near Nazca, before all contact was lost. Rescue teams later spotted a column of smoke around eight kilometres from the aerodrome, and another aircraft in the area confirmed the fire, allowing emergency crews to reach the crash site in the Pueblo Viejo sector. The impact with the ground was extremely violent, and there were no survivors; the aircraft was quickly engulfed in flames, and firefighters who reached the scene were unable to do anything to save the passengers. The Italian victims were two women, aged 58 and 57, and five men, including an 18-year-old and two 24-year-olds. They belonged to two families from the northern Lombardia region: Elena Sala (58), Lorenzo Angelucci (24), Massimo Angelucci (58), Cristina Maria Bianco (57), Paolo Gianturco (59), Matteo Gianturco (24) and Pietro Gianturco (18). Also on board were two German nationals, Andreas Hofmann (78) and Gertrud Maria Hofmann (77), and two Spaniards, Alfredo Avilés Muñoyerro and Ana Isabel Sánchez Muñoz, both 52, along with the two Peruvian crew members, pilot Américo Alejandro Salazar Cuéllar and co-pilot Irenka del Carpio Guanilo. Italy's foreign ministry confirmed the deaths of the seven Italian nationals in . "The Italian embassy in Lima has been in contact with the Peruvian authorities, from whom it has received confirmation of the passengers' deaths. The families of the Italian nationals have been informed in Italy," the statement said. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani has remained in contact with the ambassador in Lima, who has sent staff to the scene of the accident. Peru's transport, tourism and foreign ministries are coordinating activities with the embassies of the countries involved. The Farnesina stated that Peruvian authorities have opened an investigation to establish the causes of the accident, which occurred during "adverse weather conditions". Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her sorrow over the tragedy. "Profound grief for the tragic plane crash in Peru, in which seven Italian citizens also lost their lives," she wrote on social media. "To their loved ones I extend, on behalf of the Italian government and personally, my most sincere closeness at this moment of immense sorrow." The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprise more than 13,000 lines forming some 800 figures across the desert floor, including stylised animals such as a whale, a hummingbird, a condor and a spider roughly 45 metres long, drawing thousands of visitors on sightseeing flights each year.