New Year's celebrations marked by 3 drownings in La Araucanía

TEMUCO. -  Three people drowned to death during New Year’s celebrations in the region of La Araucanía. Two of the individuals that died were in areas that were not authorized for swimming.

28 year-old Daniel Padilla Castro died at 1:30 PM yesterday afternoon while swimming with a group of relatives in the Quepe River, located in the municipality of Padre las Casas.

The second fatal victim, identified as 42 year-old Bernardino Abello Echeverría, died under similar circumstances at 3:30 PM in the Cautín River at the 5th kilometer of the route to Niágara.

Finally, Santiago resident Magaly Castañeda Navarrete (31) was also reported dead after falling out of a raft in Pucón while riding the rapids of the Trancura River.

 Witnesses indicated that the woman was swept away by a water current and later died in an area known as “La última sonrisa” (“The last smile”).