Chile President Sebastian Pinera was killed in a helicopter accident, a statement from his office said.
Sebastian Pinera, a billionaire tycoon who led Chile as president for two terms, died Tuesday in a helicopter crash aged 74.
The crash took place in Lago Ranco, a lake district some 920 kilometers (570 miles) south of Santiago, where Pinera spent vacations with his children and grandchildren.
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“It is with deep regret that we announce the death of the former president of the Republic of Chile,” his office said in a statement.
Three other people who had been in the helicopter survived the crash.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote on X that he was “surprised and saddened” by Pinera’s death.
“We got along, we worked to strengthen the relationship between our countries and we always had a good dialogue, when we were both presidents, and also when we weren’t.”
Pinera served two non-consecutive terms in office, between 2010 and 2014 and again from 2018 to 2022.
AFP