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Crash kills Chile's police chief Crash kills Chile's police chief
(about 2 hours later)
Chile's national police chief has been killed along with at least seven other people in a helicopter crash while visiting Panama for a conference. Chile's national police chief has been killed along with 10 other people in a helicopter crash while visiting Panama City for a conference.
Gen Jose Alejandro Bernales and three other Chilean police officials were among those killed when the aircraft hit a building in Panama City. Gen Jose Alejandro Bernales, three Chilean police officials, two spouses and five Panamanians all died when the aircraft hit a warehouse.
It is unclear if anyone was hurt in the building, thought to be a warehouse. A 12th person aboard the helicopter survived the crash.
Chile decreed three days of national mourning and President Michelle Bachelet cut short a regional visit.Chile decreed three days of national mourning and President Michelle Bachelet cut short a regional visit.
The cause of the crash is not yet known.The cause of the crash is not yet known.
The dead were named as Gen Bernales and his wife Teresa Bianchini, police commander Oscar Tapia and his wife Carolina Reyes, police commander Ricardo Orozco and police Capt Mauricio Fuenzalida. Eyewitnesses told local media that the helicopter had pitched wildly before plunging and starting a fire in the building it hit.
At least two Chilean officials travelling with them were also killed. 'Great police director'
There was no information about the crew of the helicopter. The Chilean dead were named as Gen Bernales and his wife Teresa Bianchini, police commander Oscar Tapia and his wife Carolina Reyes, police commander Ricardo Orozco and police Capt Mauricio Fuenzalida.
Gen Bernales had headed the Chilean police since 2005
Panamanian Interior Minister Daniel Delgado confirmed that five Panamanians had also died in the crash.
According to one report, there were three crew members aboard the helicopter.
The sole survivor was a Panamanian policeman, who is in hospital in a stable condition, Mr Delgado added.
On hearing of the accident, President Bachelet rushed back to the Chilean capital Santiago from the north of the country.
She described Gen Bernales, police chief since 2005, as a "great, great police director, an important support for the government on order and security matters".