The Chilean Air Force said on Monday evening the disappearance of one of its cargo planes that was headed to a Chilean base in Antarctica on a maintenance mission with 38 people on board.
The plane took off at 4:55 p.m. local time from Punta Arenas and lost radio contact with operators shortly after 6pm local time.
The Air Force said a state of alert was declared after communication was lost with the plane and activated the search and rescue teams. It was contacting family members of those on board the plane to keep them informed of this sad situation which affects both the Force and the nation, it added.
The C-130 Hercules carried 17 crew members and 21 passengers, including three civilians. The personnel were to check on a floating fuel supply line and other equipment at the Chilean base.
President Sebastian Pinera said via Twitter that he was with his defence and interior ministers at the air force headquarters monitoring developments.
Gen. Eduardo Mosqueira of the Fourth Air Brigade said that a search was in progress and a ship was in the area where the plane should have been when contact was lost.
He said the plane, whose pilot had vast experience, had been scheduled to return Monday night.
