What happened
On the night of May 17, a twin-engine aircraft departed from Iquique-General Diego Aracena Airport at 21:15 local time. The flight was conducting a mission focused on fishing surveys and prospection over the Pacific Ocean. The aircraft was operated with a crew of two pilots on board and possessed enough fuel to sustain a flight duration of 7.5 hours.
While the aircraft was in the cruise phase of flight, it entered an uncontrolled descent. The plane impacted the sea approximately 30 km northwest of El Loa. During a search operation the following morning, small amounts of debris were located floating on the ocean surface. The accident resulted in two fatalities, as both occupants were killed in the crash.
Findings
No specific technical cause for the descent has been officially determined, though the aircraft's transition from stable cruise to an uncontrolled descent is the primary event recorded.