Seven Die in Helicopter Crash in Argentina's San Juan Province

Seven individuals perished in a helicopter accident Wednesday in a remote and challenging area of the Ischigualasto Provincial Park in Argentina's San Juan province. The aircraft, a Bell 412 contracted by the Federal Emergencies Agency (AFE), was engaged in a wildfire training exercise and en route to La Rioja. Contact with the helicopter was lost at 10:26 a.m., and a subsequent beacon signal led to a complex rescue operation in the Campo Caballo Anca area, where the tragic outcome was confirmed hours later.

Campo Caballo Anca, a vast fiscal property situated between the Jáchal and Valle Fértil departments, is an uninhabited region approximately 20 kilometers from Route 150. Its difficult terrestrial access significantly hampered the efforts of rescue personnel. The Federal Emergencies Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Security, confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the causes of the crash are under investigation. Following the accident, the Ischigualasto Provincial Park suspended all scheduled activities for Thursday, including daytime and full moon excursions.

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I want to express my most sincere condolences to the families of all the victims in this moment of immense pain. We accompany each of their loved ones.

The helicopter, a twin-engine Bell 412EP, first flew in 2010 and was registered in Argentina in 2022. It is operated by Jasfly and is designed for transport, rescue, evacuations, and fighting forest fires, according to ANAC information cited by Diario de Cuyo. The seven occupants included four San Juan officials: provincial Police Deputy Chief Marcelo Videla, Fire Chief Rubén Castro, Civil Protection Director Carlos Heredia, and Fire Deputy Chief Jorge Carabajal. The pilot was identified as Matías Valenzuela, and AFE firefighters Andrés Bosch and Rodrigo Aimetta were also among the victims. The Governor of San Juan expressed his condolences to the families of all victims, stating that the provincial government is providing assistance and working with relevant agencies.

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The Government of San Juan makes itself available to the affected families and works together with the corresponding agencies to provide all necessary assistance.