MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Human bodies spotted around area where Chilean Hercules went missing
Tactical divers are to delve deeper into the findings as of Thursday morning 
“It is unfortunate the information we received today from the Air Force,” said the mayor of Magallanes. The Chilean Air Force contacted relatives of the 38 people aboard its Lockheed Hercules C-130 transport aircraft which went missing Monday afternoon en route to Antarctica to report the discovery of human remains in the area of the Drake Passage where the search for the airplane was underway, José Fernandéz, mayor of Magallanes, told the media.
“It is unfortunate the information we received today from the Air Force that some remains of the plane had been found as [well as] remains of some people who were on board,” said Fernández.
“We are tremendously dismayed by this, my condolences to the families that have to endure this,” explained Fernandez during a press conference as he added that President Sebastián Piñera himself had asked for “all the support that they are going through in these difficult times” be provided.
Fernández explained the remains “were floating in the Drake Sea south of the last point where the position of the plane was known.”
The finding was reported to the families of the victims Wednesday afternoon by General Eduardo Mosqueira Cruz, commander of the 4th Fach Air Brigade.
Earlier Wednesday FACh had reported sighting sponge chunks floating 30 kilometres south of the last point of with the C-130 which seemed to be from the aircraft. Tactical divers are to delve deeper into the findings as of Thursday morning, according to FACh sources, which also confirmed other parts of the aircraft such as its undercarriage had been found.
Defence Minister Alberto Espina and FACh chief-of-staff General Arturo Merino Núñez were expected to arrive in Punta Arenas by Thursday morning.
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Read all commentsEstimado THINK
Dec 12th, 2019 - 07:24 pm +1IF someone... anyone... has cut corners, their heads will roll... And there is no question EVERYONE should be informed.
However, if you were to examine the flight safety and age of the military aircraft of Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, which country would you prefer to fly upon? Are you suggesting my Argentine brothers need to critique their neighbors?
This is not the first time, nor sadly the last of a FACh disaster, but it's too early to pass judgement. Any accident of any country should be addressed with sincere respect to the victims and their families.
Hmmmmmmm...
Dec 12th, 2019 - 04:26 pm 0Three questions I Think the FACH should be asked ASAP...
1) Was it the right choice for a generously overfunded Airforce of a OECD nation to buy cheap +forty years old used C130 airframes to serve as personell transport in one of the World's most extreme and demanding climatic zones...?
2) Where those used airframes..., including the wrecked one..., pulled out for inspection of wing material fatigue as explicity informed and requested months ago by the American fabricant and the USA Armed Farces...?
https://warisboring.com/most-c-130-hercules-back-in-the-air-after-they-were-grounded-for-inspections/
3) Who are the Commanders that took the decision to go “cheapo” on this...?
I “Think” the deceased families and lower rank comrades have the right to know...
Hermanito milico Shileno...
Dec 12th, 2019 - 08:13 pm 0Precisely because you hermanitos ALLENDE la cordillera have..., during the last ~45 years..., freely disposed of humongous amounts of unaccoutable CODELCO monies to buy each and every toy each of the three branches of your Armed Farces could appete..., lust or desire in their best wet dreams..., it seems to this humble Patagonian civilian a “bit strange” that your officiality would choose to buy end of life..., third world worthy..., military hardware to transport your best young men to Antártida...
Capisce...?
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