SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) 鈥� An off-duty member of the Chilean navy driving a private vehicle crashed into an open-air market in the Sunday, killing several people, the navy said in a statement.
Footage circulating on social media from a residential security camera appears to capture the moment the car plunges into the stalls, while other videos show the driver being rushed to a nearby police car, as angry bystanders run after him shouting.
鈥淭he accident resulted in the deaths of several people and left others with injuries of varying severity,鈥� the navy said, adding that it was cooperating with authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The navy statement did not provide an exact number of fatalities, but local media reported at least six deaths.
Col. Jorge Guaita, police prefect for Vina del Mar, told reporters the driver says he doesn鈥檛 remember anything and that the cause for the incident is yet to be determined.
鈥淲itness statements from people who saw the crash indicate that the vehicle was traveling in the correct direction of traffic, at high speed,鈥� Guaita said, adding that when the vehicle mounted the sidewalk, it spun around.
鈥淔ortunately, the bus stop brought it to a halt. Otherwise, it might have continued forward and caused even more damage,鈥� Guaita added.
President said on X that the incident had plunged 鈥渢he entire country in mourning.鈥�
鈥淎ll state institutions are working to assist those affected and to establish with complete clarity the responsibilities for this painful event,鈥� Kast said.
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