A dad and his five-year-old daughter plunged to their deaths after slipping down a 25-metre waterfall during a family day out.
Eduardo Valdebenito, 32, was holding little Antonella when the pair fell into the rushing water.
The youngster had reportedly asked to dip her feet in the water before the tragedy unfolded.
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His mother and the girl’s grandmother, Teresa Navarrete, said: “The little girl told him she wanted to put her feet in the water. My son was holding her in his arms when he slipped and fell in with her.”
“They were both there. She wanted to dip her feet in the water, so he let her, and they both fell,” she told local media.
The pair had been enjoying a family outing at the Garganta del Brujo waterfall in Cunco, Chile, on Sunday (8 November).
Antonella is believed to have slipped into the torrent, prompting her dad to try to save her before he was swept over the waterfall too.
A huge search operation was launched, involving firefighters and specialist police rescue teams, as reported by Need To Know.
However, the strength of the current, treacherous terrain and fading daylight forced rescuers to call off the search at around 10pm on Sunday.
The operation resumed early on Monday, with teams from several areas joining the effort.
After more than 24 hours, Eduardo and Antonella were found dead together, around three metres (10ft) underwater beneath the waterfall.
Cunco Fire Department commander Miguel Álvarez confirmed that both bodies had been recovered following a difficult joint operation.
Cunco mayor Cristian Moraga said: “It’s a sad outcome”, as he confirmed that father and daughter had been found together.
The tragedy has devastated the local community, with Antonella’s school, Llaima School in nearby Temuco, paying tribute to the little girl and her dad.
Her mum, Cinthia Quintana, works at the school.
Temuco Municipality declared an official day of mourning on Tuesday (10 November), while a candlelit vigil was held outside the school the previous evening.
In a statement, the school said the vigil was organised to “show our love, support and solidarity with our colleague” following her “irreparable loss”.
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