Missing plane in Chile: It was confirmed the discovery of four bodies and part of the fuselage

Airport where the plane tried to landing

Juan Fernández Island, September 3, 2011
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Yesterday a Chilean military aircraft disappeared with 18 passengers and 3 crew near to Juan Fernandez archipelago located in the South Pacific, about 670 kilometers from the Chilean coast.

Admiral of the Navy Cristián de la Maza confirmed moments ago that “they found in the bay Villagra, the lifeless body of a woman, still unidentified, and many remains of the plane.”

Moments later, authorities confirmed the discovery of the body of another woman and two men, who were also in the aircraft at the time of the tragedy.

The body and part of the fuselage of the aircraft were found by a civilian boat, which worked with the Chilean navy, while search operations resumed this morning with the launch of six search planes, patrols and medical equipment. Both the Air Force and Navy will send more patrols during the course of the day.

General Secretary of the Chile Air Force Maximiliano Larraechea explained, “Unfortunately there is no record of communications, the aircraft had the runway in sight and flew as it always does. Then, there was an attempt of landing that for some reason was refused and then we lost contact.”

Among the passengers on the aircraft there were officials from the National Council for Culture and the Arts, a team at TVN show “Good Morning to All” and the initiative Lift Chile Challenge, who were for the opening of a school built after the tragic earthquake and tsunami that hit the country in February 2010.

List of passengers and crew of the missing plane:
Pilot Juan Pablo Mallea
First Officer Carolina Fernández
Eduardo Jones
Erwin Núnez
Eduardo Estrada
Flavio Olivo
Felipe Camiroaga
Roberto Bruce
Sylvia Slier
Carolina Gatica
Rodrigo Cabezón
Felipe Cubillos
Sebastián Correa
Joel Lizama
Catalina Vela
Jorge Palm
Joaquín Arnolds
Galia Díaz
Romina Irarrázabal
José Cifuentes
Rodrigo Fernández