Victims of Maule tragedy taken to Cauquenes Coroner's Office

SANTIAGO.– At around 7:00 A.M. this morning workers commenced the task of transporting the bodies of those who died yesterday in a tragic helicopter accident. The 12 brigadiers had been on their way to fight a forest fire in Quirihue, in Region VIII.

Their remains were taken to the Coroner's Office or Servicio Médico Legal (SML) of Cauquenes, with the objective of having each of the victim's bodies identified.

Governor Angélica Saez was present to coordinate the next steps in this process and to ensure that the bodies are returned promptly to the victim's family members.

The accident took place yesterday in the difficult-to-access interior mountains of the Pelluhue Municipality, a densely forested area with steep gorges. The helicopter was transporting brigadiers to combat a forest fire in the area, when, following some sort of impact, the helicopter caught fire.