DEAD AT 74

Former President of Chile Perishes in Helicopter Accident, Three Injured

The aircraft piloted by the 74-year-old billionaire crashed into Chile’s Lake Ranco, where his body has yet to be recovered.

Former Chilean president Sebastián Piñera died Tuesday after a helicopter he was flying crashed into a lake, per El País. His death has been confirmed by his office and the Minister of the Interior Carolina Tohá. The aircraft piloted by the 74 year-old billionaire crashed into Chile’s Lake Ranco, where his body has been recovered. Piñera was ferrying three other passengers, who were injured in the incident. Piñera served two four year terms as Chile’s leader, once from 2010 to 2014, and again from 2018 to 2022, and was one of the founders of Chile’s right-wing party Renovación Nacional. Piñera became increasingly unpopular during his second term, after a series of protests sparked across the country responding to the rising cost of living, resulted in the murder of protestors by police and a subsequent human rights investigation from the United Nations. Ivan Duque, the former president of Colombia posted on X about Piñera’s passing. “I feel the greatest pain for the death of my great friend and colleague Sebastián Piñera. “Dear Sebastián, you will always be in our memory and we will defend your legacy.”