Off-duty Chilean navy member crashes into Vina del Mar market, several dead

An off-duty Chilean navy member drove a private car into a Vina del Mar market, killing several people and injuring others. The crash has triggered a high-level investigation and angered a country now in mourning.

In Short

• The driver was off duty and was using a private vehicle
• Authorities said the exact cause remains unclear as inquiries continue
• Police said the car was speeding before mounting the pavement

An off-duty member of the Chilean navy driving a private vehicle crashed into an open-air market in Chile’s coastal city of Vina del Mar on Sunday, killing several people and injuring others, the navy said in a statement.

The navy said it was cooperating with authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash. It did not give an exact death toll, but local media reported that at least six people were killed.

Footage circulating on social media from a residential security camera appeared to show the moment the car plunged into the market stalls. Other videos showed the driver being taken to a nearby police car as angry bystanders ran after him shouting.

"The accident resulted in the deaths of several people and left others with injuries of varying severity," the navy said. Col Jorge Guaita, police prefect for Vina del Mar, told reporters that the driver said he did not remember anything and that the cause of the incident was yet to be determined.

"Witness statements from people who saw the crash indicate that the vehicle was travelling in the correct direction of traffic, at high speed," Guaita said, adding that when the vehicle mounted the pavement, it spun around. "Fortunately, the bus stop brought it to a halt. Otherwise, it might have continued forward and caused even more damage," he added.

Chilean President Jos Antonio Kast said on X that the incident had plunged "the entire country into mourning". He said, "All state institutions are working to assist those affected and to establish with complete clarity the responsibilities for this painful event." The crash left several people dead, others injured and prompted an investigation into what caused the vehicle to slam into the market.

With PTI Inputs

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