By Tim Stelloh with NBC News World News
Published on
The plane lost radio contact shortly after 6 p.m. Officals later said it had crashed.
A Chilean Air Force plane flying to Antarctica with 38 people on board crashed on Monday afternoon, officials said.
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The C130 Hercules, which took off from the city of Punta Arenas, was flying to President Eduardo Frei Montalva Antarctic Air Base when it disappeared, Chile's Air Force said in a statement.
The plane, which was transferring personnel to a floating fuel supply pipeline, lost radio contact shortly after 6:00 p.m. Officials later said it had crashed.
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Twenty-one people aboard the plane were passengers and 17 were crew members, the statement said.
President Sebastian Piñera said authorities were monitoring search and rescue efforts.
This is a developing story.