Unesco demands answers from Peru over impact of new Machu Picchu airport

Peruvian government warned it must be consulted over plans to locate airport near world heritage sites that include the Inca citadel and Sacred Valley

Unesco has sent a letter to the Peruvian government demanding information about the construction of a new airport near Machu Picchu and what impact it could have on the Inca citadel, the country's biggest tourist attraction and a world heritage site.

The letter, which has not been made public, reminds Peru of its obligation to protect its world heritage sites and directly refers to Chinchero, the historic village in the Sacred Valley, near the town of Cusco, where the controversial new airport is being built - to the horror of archeologists.