’No hope’ in crash
Relatives mourn as debris recovery confirms worst fears
CHILE has confirmed a military plane with 38 people on board has crashed into the sea, with no hope of finding survivors.
It comes as remnants of the C-130 Hercules were yesterday found off the southern tip of South America.
“The condition of the plane wreckage that was found makes it practically impossible that there are survivors,” air force chief Arturo Merino said yesterday.
Mr Merino also confirmed reports that remains recovered from the sea were “most likely to be body parts of those travelling on the
C-130”.
Parts of the aircraft’s landing gear, fuel system, wing and a wheel were among the recovered debris. Retrieval teams also discovered two bags, a backpack and a shoe.
The debris was located in the Drake Passage, where 23 aircraft and 14 ships have been searching.
Thirty-eight people – 21 passengers and 17 crew – were on board the plane headed to the Eduardo Frei base, across the Drake Passage in the Antarctic, when it went missing on Monday.
Most were air force personnel, but also aboard were three people from the army, two from a private construction company and an official from a Chilean university.
Their families were yesterday flown to the Chabunco army base in Punta Arenas, Chile, to await information.
Authorities say they are keeping an open mind as to the cause of the accident.
The plane made no emergency signal prior to its disappearance, indicating the circumstances of the accident were probably abrupt.
“The lack of distress signals or emergency location transmissions of life rafts aboard the aircraft indicates that an event occurred during the flight that was potentially catastrophic in nature,” air industry specialist Stephen Wright said.
Authorities in Punta Arenas have begun taking DNA samples from family members to help identify victims’ remains as they are brought ashore.