Chile says no survivors in Pacific Ocean air crash

All 21 people aboard a military aircraft that crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the remote Juan Fernández islands perished, Chile's government said on Saturday, as rescuers and fishermen searched for bodies.

Search and rescue teams have recovered four bodies so far from Friday's crash, one of Chile's worst air disasters in recent years.

"One arrives at the conclusion that the impact was so strong that it must have killed those aboard instantly," Defense Minister Andres Allamand said.

The CASA 212 military plane tried twice to land on Friday before it disappeared as heavy winds and sporadic rains hit the area.

Among the passengers were five TVN national television staff members, including well-known presenter Felipe Camiroaga. The TV crew was planning to film a report about reconstruction on the islands after last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Rescue aircraft and boats began an intense search at dawn today as part of a wide search investigation for the aircraft CASA 212, which disappeared off the Pacific coast of Chile, 670 km west of the Chilean capital.   

The FACH directed comment toward the incident, giving recognition that this was no longer the search for a “missing” aircraft, if not “the wreckage” of an airplane, which they presume to have crashed not far from the islands.

Yesterday during a press conference, President Sebastian Piñera said, "I empathize with the anguish and uncertainty of the relatives of the 21 passengers aboard the plane which is presumed to have gone down." "This is a very hard blow for our country."