A car crashed into people at a festival in a Chilean city. The driver, a navy sailor, is believed to have lost control while speeding. Authorities are investigating to establish the facts.
On 12 Jul 2026 GMT+7, local police in Chile reported that a car plowed into people at a roadside festival in Viña del Mar, a coastal city, causing at least six fatalities and injuring seven others.
Police officer Jorge Gueta told AFP news agency that the man drove at high speed along the road adjacent to the festival area before losing control and hitting the crowd, resulting in the reported deaths and injuries. The seven injured sustained non-life-threatening wounds.
Gueta added that the man has been detained and will undergo a blood alcohol test.
The Chilean Navy stated that the driver is a navy sergeant currently off duty.
Regional officials said preliminary police reports indicate the driver was not intoxicated but may have lost control due to slippery roads caused by rain. They added that most victims were vendors at the fair.
Photos from the scene show a white car with a shattered windshield and a badly damaged hood, surrounded by scattered clothing, cardboard boxes, and items likely sold at the fair.
President José Antonio Kast posted on X that this tragedy has "plunged the entire nation into sorrow" and expressed deepest condolences to all the families of the deceased.
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Source:straitstimes