Seven people died Wednesday when a helicopter crashed in a remote area of the Ischigualasto Provincial Park in San Juan [1], [2].
The accident is significant due to the loss of senior provincial leadership, including the deputy chief of the San Juan Police and the director of Civil Protection, during a mission to coordinate forest fire responses.
The aircraft was conducting training and transporting personnel to combat forest fires in the region [1], [2]. The crash occurred on July 29, 2026 [3], in a difficult-to-access zone of the park located in Valle Fértil [1], [2].
Among the seven victims were firefighting brigadistas and high-ranking security officials [1]. The loss of the director of Civil Protection, Carlos Heredia, has caused widespread shock in the province.
"During several hours I maintained the hope of finding my brother Carlos Heredia, director of Civil Protection of San Juan, alive," Nelson Heredia said.
Reports on the specific aircraft model vary between sources. One report identified the helicopter as a Bell 412, while another stated the aircraft was a Bell 407-KGR belonging to JasFly S.A. [4].
Rescue operations were described as extreme due to the rugged terrain of the Ischigualasto Provincial Park [2]. Local authorities have not yet released a cause for the crash, though the flight was specifically intended for forest fire combat training [1].
“Seven people died Wednesday when a helicopter crashed in a remote area of the Ischigualasto Provincial Park.”
The death of both the deputy police chief and the director of Civil Protection represents a sudden and severe vacuum in San Juan's emergency management leadership. Occurring during a forest fire training mission, the tragedy may prompt a review of safety protocols for aerial transport of high-ranking officials in hazardous terrain.
