This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
Published on December 11, 2019, a Chilean Air Force C-130 Hercules plane carrying 38 people remains missing after losing contact over the Antarctic waters.
The plane, which departed from Santiago and stopped briefly in Punta Arenas, was headed towards the Antarctic base when it lost radio contact around 6 p.m. local time near the Drake Passage.
Given the limited fuel and autonomy of the plane, it is presumed to have crashed.
Following the loss of contact, the Chilean Air Force declared a state of emergency and mobilized a search and rescue team to locate the plane.
Argentina, Uruguay, and the United States have joined the search effort, with the maritime authorities searching for survivors in the area where the plane was last seen.
According to Air Force General Eduardo Mosqueira, the search efforts will continue for six days, and the plane was in good condition during takeoff.
The C-130 Hercules has been in service since the 1950s, with modern models introduced in the 1970s and 1990s.
