SANTIAGO – All four people aboard were killed Monday when a small plane crashed in north-central Chile, authorities said.

The U.S.-made Mooney aircraft took off at 10:30 a.m. from La Serena, 472 kilometers (293 miles) north of Santiago, and was due to touch down in the capital at 1:30 p.m.

Two Chilean air force planes and a helicopter were scrambled to search for the small aircraft after its emergency beacon was activated.

Data from the beacon led authorities to suspect the plane went down in the Chicurea area, near Santiago, but the wreckage was ultimately found some 22 kilometers (15 miles) from La Serena, the head of the air force search and rescue team, Rodrigo Ceballos, told reporters.

“Regrettably, the four people, according to the information the chief of the city’s airport confirms, are found dead,” Ceballos said.

The plane was piloted by well-known wine expert Diego Garcia de la Huerta Sutil, managing director of Chile’s Viña Sutil vineyards. EFE