The Nazca lines are among the most famous and mysterious archaeological sites in the world, but also a tourist destination that over the years has been marked by numerous air accidents. Located in the southern Peruvian desert, about 450 kilometers from Lima, they attract about 100,000 visitors every year, many of whom choose to fly over the area to observe from above the famous geoglyphs, large signs traced on the ground clearly visible only from a certain height.
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A unique heritage in the world
The archaeological complex extends over about 75,000 hectares in the desert plains of the Rio Grande de Nasca basin and was created between the 8th century BC and the 8th century AD. Over nearly two thousand years, the populations that inhabited the area carved thousands of giant figures into the ground, depicting animals, plants, geometric shapes, and human subjects.
Among the most famous images are the whale, the monkey, the cacti, the flowers, and the so-called “Astronaut,” an anthropomorphic figure about 30 meters tall carved on the side of a hill. Their meaning is still debated. Among the hypotheses formulated by archaeologists are religious and ceremonial functions, or the identification of underground water resources, or even a possible use as an astronomical calendar, thanks to the alignment of some geoglyphs with the Sun and stars during solstices and equinoxes. The site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994.
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Why fly over the Nazca lines
The size of the geoglyphs makes it impossible to grasp their complete shape from ground level. For this reason, a market of companies specialized in scenic flights has developed, allowing tourists to observe the figures from above. Those who prefer to stay on the ground can instead use some elevated platforms, although with a more limited view.
However, these flights can be dangerous. The tight maneuvers necessary to show the figures to passengers, combined with the strong desert winds, the presence of outdated aircraft, and in some cases, insufficient maintenance, are among the risk factors behind the accidents that have occurred in the area.
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