Four British travellers have been killed in a light aircraft crash close to one of Peru’s top tourist attractions.
Two Peruvian crew members also died when the plane came down near the Nazca Lines markings 240 miles south east of Lima.
The aircraft reportedly burst into flames shortly after take-off after attempting an emergency landing in a field following suspected engine failure.
The group was on a trip to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from pre-Inca times, which is best viewed from the air.
Flights over the Nazca Lines are popular with tourists wanting to view images depicting animals that span hundreds of feet across. They are thought to have been etched between 2,200 and 1,300 years ago.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has altered travel advice in recent months to warn tourists about air safety in Peru.
“All air companies offering flights over the Nazca Lines, either from Nazca or from the city of Ica, must have a co-pilot on board,” it said.
“Any aircraft flying over the Nazca Lines must be no more than 15 years old and must also be able to accommodate at least eight passengers and two crew members.”
There has been a series of fatal crashes in the region in recent years. Six South American tourists and their pilot were killed in February, and in April 2008 five French tourists died.