Body of Chilean soldier repatriated from Dominican Republic

SANTIAGO.- The remains of Sigrido Abarca Igo were delivered to Chile today after the man was found dead this past Sunday at a hotel in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic.

The urn arrived at Group 10 of the Chilean Air Force with the signature blue flag and beret worn by members of UN peace operations, which the sergeant had been in the service of while in Haiti.

After the arrival of the remains, Admiral Roberto Maquiavelo, the sub-chief of National Defense, delivered the flag and beret of the international organization to General Iván Hernández, who is the commander of the Army Operations Brigade. General Hernández then gave the emblem to Giovanna Veas, the wife of Sergeant Abarca, who arrived at the Air Force base with her two daughters, Cristal (15) and Constanza (7).

The urn was then covered with a Chilean flag, and topped with a black beret, which Abarca wore during the operations of the regiment he belonged to in the Army.

General Iván Hernández indicated that the deceased soldier would be buried with the honors that correspond to his rank, and said that an investigation has already been put underway to determine the cause of his death.