Felipe Camiroaga, Chile TV Host, Feared Dead In Plane Crash

SANTIAGO, Chile — A Chilean air force plane with 21 people aboard, including a popular local television host, crashed Friday near the Juan Fernandez islands in the Pacific Ocean, authorities said.

The CASA 212 military plane tried twice to land at the airport on the remote Chilean island but strong wind gusts buffeted the aircraft and it later was lost from sight, said Felipe Paredes, a local council member who was in the airport's control tower at the time.

Rescuers in boats were searching for the plane and survivors, but the mayor of Juan Fernandez, Leopoldo Gonzalez, said some luggage had been found in the water and it was clear the plane crashed.

"We assume that there was an accident and that there are no survivors," Gonzalez said.

Rescue teams later found an intact door and several knapsacks in the water about 2,000 meters (yards) from the island's airport, authorities said.

President Sebastian Pinera expressed sadness. "This is a blow to our country. In these times of anguish and uncertainty is when unity is most needed," he said.

Defense Minister Andres Allamand called it a "particularly difficult" situation, but said that for now the plane was still listed as "missing."

Authorities said popular Chilean television personality Felipe Camiroaga was flying to the island to do a program on the reconstruction of Juan Fernandez island following the magnitude-8.8 earthquake and tsunami that wiped out its main town on Feb. 27, 2010.

The 44-year-old TV presenter was one of five people from Television Nacional's program "Good Morning Everyone" who were traveling to the island.

Besides hosting the morning program, Camiroaga also hosted the popular program "Nocturnal Animal" and co-hosted the Vina del Mar music festival in 2009 and 2010.

"We are extremely upset," said TVN executive director Mauro Valdes.

Also on board was businessman Felipe Cubillos, a brother-in-law of the defense minister who had been working on post-earthquake reconstruction.

The remote Chilean archipelago, about 515 miles (830 kilometers) west of Chile's coast, is known for possibly having inspired the novel Robinson Crusoe.

The air force plane took off from the capital, Santiago, at 2 p.m. and lost contact with air control almost four hours later, according to a statement from aviation authorities.

"It's a difficult runway, but not impossible," Julio Subercaseaux, president of Chile's federal aviation authority, told state television.

Comments

[Kathy Molina]

02:04 PM on 09/10/2011

My prayers to all on the flight and their families. I am an American citizen by birth, married to a Chilean, have kids, watched TV Chile, when Dish TV carried it, all the time. No, I do not speak Spanish but Felipe's show was always on in the morning and we watched the evening one also. I absolutely enjoyed watching him, may he and all the others rest in peace. Americans this is a world news and it is always not just about us. He will be hard to replace on both shows.

[DAGUILERA]

05:31 PM on 09/07/2011

I think it's worth mentioning Felipe's last show hours before his death was to have an Australian Christian evangelist with no legs or arms... Nick Vujicic you can see it on youtube.

[anen87]

03:43 PM on 09/07/2011

Felipe Camiroaga and Felipe Cubillos two beautiful people trying to make Chile a better country. In their efforts to humanitari­an aid and they end up dead! life is cruel and isn't fair. Definitely a huge blow and loss to Chile. My deep condolence­s.

[Kathy Molina]

02:05 PM on 09/10/2011

I agree completely,

[GirlInNYC]

10:53 PM on 09/06/2011

Head winds -- and that's why I fear bad turbulence. I don't see how flight attendants fly for a living.

[kikispecial]

01:46 AM on 09/05/2011

I met Felipe back in 1993 while enjoying a cruise of the Southern part of Chile called Puerto Mont. He was a quiet yet humble man who didn't hesitate to take a picture with me when asked. When I heard about this terrible accident, I only prayed that he didn't suffer. Although I have been an American Citizen since 1992, I believe Felipe was a great man who gave it ALL to my people in Chile. RIP Felipe.

[Angela Dinardi]

12:11 PM on 09/05/2011

RIP Felipe... Lovely thought. Thanks.

[Kathy Molina]

02:06 PM on 09/10/2011

Beautifully said, RIP everyone on the plane.

[braziliangirl]

12:32 AM on 09/05/2011

... and, one more thought... very soon will be the 10-year anniversary of 9-11. I was in New York when that happened... and I am not American, I don´t need to be.. to be saddened or identify with the loss of lives, regardless of nationality. Americans and most other large nations (including Brazil) nowadays have lost touch with the type of unity I have seen in Chile in their everyday lives. May God bless the great nation of Chile, tiny as it might be, but with such a great heart and united spirit for they have endured so much lately. Let´s not forget that this "no one" (as many of you here implied) went with his TV crew and some other wonderful people to this Island to do something for others... for the people whose lived were destroyed with last year´s earthquake!! Hope one day news will be more than stating the facts but showing why news such as this matter or could have an effect on people´s lives regardless of place or time... That´s all!

[braziliangirl]

12:29 AM on 09/05/2011

I think people here would understand the relevance of the article (other than being inside World News and an airplane tragedy) if there was a human component to it. Yes, it is the fact that among the people who died was one of the most well-known and beloved TV host in Chile - a tiny yet beautiful country in South America - but it is also way more than this. One can only understand this story if one knows what this guy represented to thousands and thousands in such a small country... I, for one, was born in Brazil but moved to Chile (with my parents) right around the time Felipe Camiroaga started his career on TV. I was a teenager and he was the host of a youth show then. He soon grew to become one of the best, if not the best, TV host in the country. He is definitely something... or he was. Now his life is over. The country is sad, very sad. I am sad too. Sure, his life is no better than others, but it is also true that some people have such an effect on others that their lives are definitely more meaningful as we learn from them. His significance can´t be easily seen but he affected thousands of lives everyday, with his charisma, joy and talent.There is no way one can measure the pain of losing a love one...

[alirus407]

11:45 PM on 09/05/2011

So Sorry for you loss

[otterkill107]

10:04 PM on 09/04/2011

why is it feared

[eltito]

07:52 PM on 09/04/2011

R.I.P. Camiroaga and everyone that died in the airplane crash

[sparkygirl91]

01:08 PM on 09/04/2011

Schumo replied to me, although I can't find it below ......"OH MY GOD!!! A celebrity died in the world! I guess the thousands who died of cancer or famine or war are worth less than a poofy singer. How silly of me to miss that point". Sir/Madam: You made that idiotic comparison, not I. Having compassion for one (in this case 21+ families) does not negate compassion for those who "died of cancer or famine or war........" No one is less than the other, but a tragedy is a tragedy, especially for all those involved in this case, and many posers are merely expressing theirs for folks they don't know - yes, and many do. Now, this is the last I will comment on this topic.

[kikispecial]

01:52 AM on 09/05/2011

You obviously have no IDEA who this man was!!!! He was not just a celebrity in Chile! He was a humanitarian, a father to those Chileans who never had one, he made the people feel at ease after the horrific times when the Miners were trapped, and he eased panic during and after the earthquake. He was a self-made man who took advantage of his status to do GOOD! He donated to charities not just in Chile, but ALL OVER America! Learn humility from that man! And always, always, always, learn about a PERSON before you JUDGE how they lived and then learn how to follow by example!

[sparkygirl91]

02:44 AM on 09/05/2011

Why are you chastising me? I've only written very compassionate words about this topic - as I do on all topics involving death. If you re-read my post closely, you will see I was quoting another poster (Schumo) in the first few lines of my post which he/she sent me in response to a compassionate comment I wrote earlier. And why do you think I have issues?

[logicdog]

05:49 PM on 09/05/2011

kiki, you have READING issues! Sparkygirl was quoting someone else's malevolent post, and in fact, you two are in agreement. You would know that if you weren't such a STUPID CLOD.

[kikispecial]

01:53 AM on 09/05/2011

And one more thing...I think you have issues!

[Jackie Matthews Lemmink]

10:41 AM on 09/04/2011

Sad to hear, so sad. Condolences to the family members who lost someone.

[Ded Peasant]

09:22 AM on 09/04/2011

feared? really? this will be the end of tv as we know it.

[erehwon2]

02:22 AM on 09/04/2011

Spam link

[Julian Barthes]

10:58 PM on 09/03/2011

A very sad day for Latin America, indeed. In solidarity with our dear Chile.

[otterkill107]

10:05 PM on 09/04/2011

i like chili ,,if it has no beans

[Maezeppa]

10:43 PM on 09/03/2011

Gosh, you don't think HP ran this story because the guy in the pic looked a little like Ryan Seacrest, do you? Nah, HP would never resort to something so sly just to get clicks.