The Peruvian government has halted all flights for Aerodiana following a fatal accident in the Ica region on Saturday. the crash claimed the lives of 11 European tourists—specifically seven from Italy, two from Germany, and two from Spain—alongside two Peruvian crew members.
The grounding of Aerodiana after 13 deaths in the Ica region
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has ordered an immediate suspension of all Aerodiana operations. This mandate remains in effect until investigators can verify that the airline is in full compliance with aviation regulations, operating requirements, and safety procedures. The airline, which specializes in flights over the ancient geoglyphs of the Nazca Lines, had been operating for 18 years prior to this disaster.
The victims' nationalities have drawn international attention , with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressing condolences via X. As reported by the source, the Italian and German consuls were dispatched to the crash site to coordinate with Peruvian authorities and notify the families of the deceased.
A final radio call and the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan's mechanical failure
The aircraft involved was a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, a small plane with a 12-passenger capacity. According to the report, the pilots notified the contol tower at Nazca airfield of an emergency involving mechanical problems in their final radio transmission before contact was lost. The plane crashed approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Nazca airfield after taking off from Pisco Airport.
Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Rogers Valencia stated that the Aviation Accident Investigation Commission is currently analyzing the flight path and mechanical evidence recovered from the wreckage. While the crew's distress call is a primary piece of evidence, authorities have not yet officially confirmed if the reported mechanical issue was the sole cause of the crash.
The 2010 and 2022 crashes haunting the Nazca Lines
This tragedy is part of a worrying pattern of aviation failures in the region. In 2022, a similar accident near the Nazca Lines resulted in the deaths of five tourists and two Peruvian crew members. Even further back, a 2010 crash claimed the lives of four British tourists and two crew members, suggesting that the corridor used for sightseeing flights is prone to high-risk incidents.
These recurring disasters raise questions about the safety standards of light aircraft operations in southern Peru. For the tourism industry, the Nazca Lines are a premier attraction, but the repetitive nature of these crashes indicates a potential systemic failure in how these sightseeing excursions are regulated and monitored.
President Keiko Fujimori's evaluation of Pisco Airport
The political response has reached the highest levels of the Peruvian state,with President Keiko Fujimori stating that the government is evaluating whether to suspend operations at Pisco Airport. While the airport remains fully operational for now, the President indicated that a decision would be made only after ministers submit their final investigative repoorts.
Several critical questions remain unanswered. It is unclear whether Aerodiana's claimed 18-year commitment to safety was backed by independent audits or if the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan had a history of maintenance lapses. Furthermore, the source does not specify if other airlines operating out of Pisco Airport are facing similar scrutiny or if this suspension is isolated to Aerodiana.
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