Sebastian Fest Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Updated Wednesday, February 7, 2024-07:46

"You jump first, because if I jump with you, the helicopter will fall on us all." Accustomed to making major decisions in the eight years that he was president of

Chile

,

Sebastián Piñera

made a fundamental one moments before death came to him. A decision that ended up costing him his life, but he saved his three companions on the tragic afternoon of Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

The former president of Chile died this Tuesday at the age of 74 when the helicopter he was piloting crashed into

Lake Ranco

, in the south of the country, where he had a vacation residence.

Piñera, president between 2010 and 2014 and 2018 and 2022, had gone to lunch at the house of a friend, businessman

José Cox

. The weather was very bad and the hosts suggested that he not return to his house in the helicopter. Piñera dismissed the advice and got on the machine with his sister,

Magdalena

, and two other participants at the lunch:

Ignacio Guerrero

and his son

De él Bautista

.

The helicopter suddenly began to lose altitude 400 meters from Cox's house, who got into a boat and set out to rescue the four crew members of the helicopter.

"A thesis that is being used until now suggests that one of the helicopter's windows was left half open, which fogged up its glass in a matter of seconds, losing all notion of distances," noted the Chilean press.

Aware of the problems with the helicopter, Piñera sought to get closer to the surface of the lake so that his companions could jump into the water safely while he tried to control the machine. It was then that, according to

Magdalena Piñera

, the former president explained that he could not jump yet: "If I jump with you, the helicopter will fall on us all."

The plan was to leave the helicopter once his companions were safe, but the former president was unable to unbuckle his seatbelt, according to what the Chilean press agrees. The three survivors swam to the shore of the lake and asked for help, but it was too late for Piñera. "He was a great man, a very generous and brave man," Magdalena would say hours later.

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Karla Rubilar

, who was a minister and friend of Piñera, highlighted that this was the former president's attitude, worrying about the safety and well-being of his collaborators and close people.

One of his last activities had been to coordinate a group of collaborators from his years as governor to help provide solutions to the government in the midst of the crisis due to the serious fires in the central area of ​​the country.

The body of the former president was rescued 40 meters deep in the lake by fire divers in an operation by the Chilean Navy, while the country was still shocked by the events. At the headquarters of

Renovación Nacional (RN)

, Piñera's party, hundreds of people gathered to sign the book of condolences and remember the former president through tears.

The president,

Gabriel Boric

, decreed three days of national mourning, while the Civil Aeronautics Directorate, the Navy, Carabineros and other institutions work to find out what happened for the events to develop that way.

"We are waiting for weather conditions to allow us to begin carrying out work with respect to the accident site, also with respect to the helicopter," said regional prosecutor Tatiana Esquivel.

Piñera's body was transferred to the city of

Valdivia

, where the Legal Medical Service will perform an autopsy.

"Once this procedure, the autopsy, is carried out, and if there are no additional procedures, the body will immediately be handed over to the next of kin so that they can dispose of it," said the prosecutor.

Chile will hold a

state funeral

this Thursday to say goodbye to Piñera, the only representative of the right-wing parties who managed to become president since the country regained democracy in 1990.