Sebastián Piñera, a former president of Chile who helped strengthen the nation’s young democracy after becoming its first conservative leader since a military dictatorship, died in a helicopter crash in Chile on Tuesday, the government said.
Three people survived and swam to shore, Ms. Toha said, but Mr. Piñera died and the Chilean Navy had recovered his body.
It is unclear who was piloting the aircraft, but Mr. Piñera was known to fly his own helicopter.
Mr. Piñera was a billionaire businessman and investor who served two terms as Chile’s president, from 2010 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2022.
A conservative, Mr. Piñera ushered in pro-business policies that helped boost growth and make the nation of 19 million, in his words, “a true oasis” in Latin America.
Persons:
Sebastián, Carolina Tohá, Toha, Piñera
Organizations:
Chilean Navy
Locations:
Chile, Ranco, Ríos, Latin America