Bogotá, Colombia: A sightseeing plane carrying foreign tourists crashed into a field near Peru's famed Nazca Lines on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board, authorities said.

According to the municipal government of Nazca, the aircraft was operating a scenic flight over the ancient Nazca Lines when it went down outside the city of Nazca.

The Nazca Lines are a vast collection of giant geoglyphs etched into Peru's desert centuries ago by Indigenous communities. The massive figures, depicting animals and geometric patterns, are best viewed from the air or designated observation towers.

Officials said the aircraft departed from the nearby city of Ica and was operated by Peruvian airline Aerodiana.

On its website, the airline says it has been offering sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines for the past 14 years using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft.

Peru's Ministry of Trade and Tourism said the aircraft was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two crew members at the time of the crash.

State news agency Agencia Andina reported that the passengers included seven Italian, two German and two Spanish tourists.

Peruvian authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Aerodiana did not immediately respond to requests for comment.