Lima - Five French tourists died in a plane crash in Peru when their small aircraft flew into a house after they had viewed the Nazca Lines geoglyphs.

The cause of Wednesday's crash of the plane belonging to the Aeroica firm was not immediately known, police said, but they hoped the pilot, who survived with severe injuries, could provide information on the accident, which occurred shortly before landing.

No one on the ground was hurt.

Flights are the best way to see the large pre-Inca drawings of animals and other figures etched into the ground about 370 kilometres south-east of Lima. (dpa)