Seven killed in helicopter crash in western Argentina

Seven people, including the director of Civil Protection and senior police officials, died when a helicopter crashed in Argentina's western San Juan province on Wednesday. The Bell 412 helicopter, contracted by the Federal Emergencies Agency (AFE), went down in the Ischigualasto Provincial Park area.

The victims included Carlos Heredia, the director of Civil Protection for San Juan; Germán Videla, deputy chief of the provincial Police; and Rubén Castro and Jorge Carbajal, police chiefs from the Firefighting Division. The pilot, Matías Valenzuela, and two AFE brigadistas, Andrés Bosch and Rodrigo Aimetta, also perished in the accident.

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With deep pain, we received the news of the helicopter accident that occurred in our province, in which seven people sadly lost their lives.

San Juan Governor Marcelo Orrego expressed his profound sorrow on social media, extending condolences to the families of the victims. "With deep pain, we received the news of the helicopter accident that occurred in our province, in which seven people sadly lost their lives," he stated. National Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva also conveyed her condolences, emphasizing her solidarity with the families and colleagues of those who died.

The AFE reported that the helicopter was initially used for training purposes in San Juan before heading to the neighboring La Rioja province. Its mission was to support efforts to control a forest fire. The last contact with the aircraft was recorded at 10:26 local time (13:26 GMT). Another aircraft in the vicinity later located the crash site and alerted authorities.

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My embrace and all my solidarity are with you. I accompany each of the families and their service colleagues in this moment of deep pain.