Britons killed in Peru tourist flight tragedy

The Cessna light aircraft came down in a field near the Nazca Lines markings - the third such crash in two years.

The dead included Britons Gayle Callow, 34, Andrew Brown, 30, and Warren Denham, who was also in his thirties. Another male passenger and the two Peruvian pilots also died.

The plane is thought to have suffered engine trouble and crashed after taking off from Maria Reiche airport at about 4:15pm local time on Saturday.

Police said the aircraft hit the ground as the pilot and co-pilot tried to make an emergency landing.

The Nazca Lines, mysterious ground drawings etched into the desert at least 1,300 years ago by indigenous groups, are a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The lines are fully visible only from the air because of their scale and 30-minute overflights are popular with travellers.

A Foreign Office spokesman said the British Ambassador to Peru and another member of the consular staff had travelled from Lima to the scene of the crash more than 200 miles away.

He said: "The Peruvian authorities have notified us that three British nationals died in the plane crash in Nazca.

"A fourth passenger died in the incident, along with two crew members.

"Police are attempting to identify the nationality and identity of the fourth passenger."

Several dozen planes in Nazca offer flights over the lines, but there have been allegations of poor supervision of the aircraft.

In February, a Cessna 206 carrying three Chileans and four Peruvians crashed and killed everyone on board.

Another crash in April 2008 killed five French tourists, though their pilot survived.

Foreign Office travel advice warns about the incidents.

It states: "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.

"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."