ANTUCO — 2005 · Major Tragedy
The Antuco Tragedy
On 18 May 2005, 474 conscripts of the 17th Regiment from Los Ángeles were sent, despite bad-weather warnings, on a 28-kilometre training march along the slopes of the Antuco Volcano at 1,400 to 1,700 metres. During the march a violent snowstorm produced a whiteout and the troops lost their way. Most of the conscripts had served less than three months, and only one of the five companies had mountain equipment. Forty-five people, 44 conscripts and a sergeant, froze to death. Major Patricio Cereceda, who ordered the march, was sentenced to five years in prison, and senior officers retired or resigned. The tragedy fuelled debate over Chile's conscription system, and the Supreme Court later awarded compensation to survivors.
- Date
- 2005
- Place
- Antuco, Chile, Antuco, CL
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- -37.3900, -71.4200 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 18 May 2005474 conscripts were sent marching at Antuco despite storm warnings.
- 18 May 200544 conscripts and a sergeant died in the blizzard.
- May 2005Search teams recovered bodies from the snow; commanders left their posts.
- Later yearsMajor Patricio Cereceda was sentenced to five years; paroled in 2011.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Tragedy of Antuco en.wikipedia.org ↗
- ABC News — Army finds more bodies from Chilean training tragedy abc.net.au ↗
- NBC News — 45 soldiers believed dead in Chilean blizzard nbcnews.com ↗
- Wikipedia
- ABC News (Australia)
- NBC News
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.