Chile's Gendarmerie announced on Sunday the death of officer Bastián Aravena Ñancucheo from Tocopilla's Preventive Detention Center, whose body was found that morning after disappearing at sea the previous day. The gendarme entered the water in the Los Surfistas sector, where he was lost amid the waves, triggering a maritime and land search operation.
On Sunday, December 7, 2025, Chile's Gendarmerie reported the discovery of Bastián Aravena Ñancucheo's body, an officer at Tocopilla's Preventive Detention Center. The incident took place on Saturday when Aravena Ñancucheo entered the sea in the Los Surfistas sector of Tocopilla commune, in the Antofagasta region, and vanished amid the waves. A search operation involving maritime and land efforts was promptly launched, lasting several hours until the body was recovered that Sunday morning.
The institution described the death as a “profound loss,” emphasizing the officer's value. Aravena Ñancucheo had been awarded the “Pride of Being a Sentinel 2025” prize earlier that year for his outstanding performance, commitment, and professionalism in his unit. “As an institution and colleagues, we join in the pain of his loved ones,” Gendarmerie stated in an official communiqué, offering solidarity to the family and coworkers impacted by this tragedy.