Sebastian Pinera dead: Former Chilean president dies in helicopter accident aged 74

Two-time former president of Chile Sebastian Pinera has died in a helicopter accident at the age of 74. Chile interior minister Carolina Toha said he died on Tuesday (February 6) but no further details were immediately released about the cause of the accident.

SENAPRAD, the country’s national disaster agency, confirmed that there had been a helicopter crash in Lago Ranco, a town in the southern part of Chile. It said one person was killed in the crash and three others were injured.

Pinera held the presidency twice, first from 2010 to 2014 and then from 2018 to 2022, guiding Chile through significant challenges such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, Chile achieved high vaccination rates against the virus, ranking among the top five countries.

However, his tenure is tarnished by the harsh crackdown on protesters in October 2019, who were advocating for reforms in education, health, and pension systems.