Three Dead in Avalanche in Chile

18th October 2026

Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service, SENAPRED, said a large slab avalanche happened in an area known as Laguna del Inca.

A full-scale search operation was launched including:

• Volunteer firefighters
• Carabineros police
• An air-police helicopter unit
• Medical teams
• SENAPRED regional personnel

An official statement has been released by Ski Portillo from the General Manager of Ski Portillo, Miguel Purcell:

“We deeply regret the tragic accident that occurred today in the Laguna del Inca area, which left three people dead.

We express our sincerest condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones.

Since the emergency was reported, the Portillo rescue team (Safety and Patrol) along with Carabineros from the Los Libertadores Complex (led by Lieutenant San Martín) arrived at the scene in approximately 10 minutes, managing to rescue four people.

We also put our emergency resources at the disposal of our helicopter to assist in the care and transportation of one of the affected individuals to the Los Andes Hospital.

Rescue operations have been carried out in extremely dangerous conditions, exposing our teams to significant risks to assist the affected individuals.

Mountain climbing activities must be carried out responsibly and in accordance with safety instructions and restrictions.

Ski Portillo has visible signage, both at the hotel and in various areas of the slopes, warning of the danger of death and prohibiting access to restricted areas.

These warnings are also present on our website.

The area where the accident occurred is outside the permitted ski area.

Entering unpermitted areas or continuing an activity despite warnings involves exposing oneself to serious dangers, which can put both the lives of those entering and the teams that are supposed to assist in their rescue at risk.

The practice of mountain climbing and any activity in high mountain environments requires preparation, constant evaluation of conditions, and above all, individual responsibility and strict adherence to safety instructions.

No mountain experience should take precedence over life safety.

We reiterate our condolences to the families of the victims and our commitment to the work carried out by the authorities.”

Updates to follow….

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