Sebastián Piñera, the 74-year-old billionaire and former president of Chile, died in a helicopter crash Tuesday, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
Carolina Tohá, Chile’s interior minister, confirmed the news, according to AP.
BREAKING: Former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera dies in a helicopter accident. He was 74 https://t.co/KNgkB1EFTO
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 6, 2024
Tohá noted that four people were involved in the crash but that only the former president was killed in the incident, BBC reported.
Piñera served two non-consecutive terms as president, holding office from 2010 to 2014 and from 2018 to 2022. He founded the successful credit card company Bancard in 1976 and had a net worth of around $2.7 billion at the time of his death, Forbes reported.
The former president’s last tweet congratulated Javier Milei on the occasion of his election to the presidency of Argentina on Nov. 19. “Congratulations to [Milei] for his great presidential victory and to the Argentine people for a beautiful democratic day. May the ideas and forces of Freedom guide and lead Argentina along the paths of Freedom, Justice and Progress,” he wrote in Spanish.
Felicitaciones a @JMilei por su gran triunfo presidencial y al pueblo argentino por una hermosa jornada democrática.
Que las ideas y las fuerzas de la Libertad guíen y conduzcan a Argentina por los caminos de la Libertad, la Justicia y el Progreso.
— Sebastian Piñera (@sebastianpinera) November 20, 2023
Milei took to the socila media site on Tuesday to express his condolences. “A moment ago I received the news of the tragic accident suffered by Sebastián Piñera, former President of the sister Republic of Chile. I deeply regret his death and wish to send our condolences on behalf of the Argentine people to his family and friends, as well as to all the Chilean people,” he posted in Spanish.
Recibí hace un momento la noticia del trágico accidente que sufrió Sebastián Piñera, ex Presidente de la República hermana de Chile. Lamento profundamente su fallecimiento y deseo enviar nuestras condolencias en nombre del pueblo argentino a sus familiares y amigos, así como…
— Javier Milei (@JMilei) February 6, 2024
The current president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, also extended his sympathies.
Quiero expresar mis más sentidas condolencias a la familia, cercanos y a quienes fueron parte de los dos gobiernos del ex Presidente Sebastián Piñera Echenique. En especial, hago llegar un abrazo cariñoso y fraterno a su esposa, Cecilia Morel, a sus hijos, Magdalena, Cecilia,… pic.twitter.com/kFWXtqwjYT
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) February 6, 2024
“I want to express my deepest condolences to the family, loved ones and those who were part of the two governments of former President Sebastián Piñera Echenique,” Boric posted in Spanish. “In particular, I extend a loving and fraternal hug to his wife, Cecilia Morel, to his children, Magdalena, Cecilia, Sebastián and Cristóbal, and also to all the Chileans who today receive this news with regret and pain.”