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Lan Chile sentenced to compensate passenger
Exceptional weather in Torres del Paine.

Lan Chile sentenced to compensate passenger

A Punta Arenas court sentenced Lan Chile to compensate a convalescent passenger who suffered "negligence and deficient transport conditions", in spite of her delicate health, during a flight from Santiago rerouted to Rio Gallegos last September. According to Punta Arenas press Mrs. Mirna Mansilla's ordeal began on Saturday September 14th 2002 when Lan Chile flight 297 was forced to land in Argentina because of adverse climatic conditions in Punta Arenas. In Santiago she had undergone a double hip operation and before boarding signed a Medical Information document approved by a Lan Chile doctor. However, apparently the doctor never reported the passenger's delicate condition to the captain or the crew of the aircraft. When the aircraft landed in Rio Gallegos close to midnight the commander informed the passengers they would sit out the storm until the weather improved. But the situation continued unchanged and finally four hours later the commander decided to send all passengers to a local hotel. During that time Mrs. Mansilla who was sitting in the front row closest to one of the open doors of the aircraft was exposed to freezing cold winds 60 miles winds that caused a "bronchial congestion" and "oedematous conditions" in both extremities. To make things worse Lan Chile staff, even when warned that Mrs. Mansilla had a prosthesis, picked her up and rapidly wheel-chaired her to the bus that took the passengers to the hotel. In the evacuation her hand bag with the prescribed medicine was left behind and not recovered until the following mid day. The Lan Chile flight finally took off from Río Gallegos on Sunday 19:00 hours with passengers having to spend another seven hours in the local airport and Mrs. Mansilla in a wheel chair. Lan Chile argued that the Punta Arenas court had no competence or jurisdiction in the case but the magistrate ruled that "objective and proven situations existed that were full responsibility of Lan Chile, impairing and affecting the plaintiffs". "There was no timely or effective information to passengers so they could avoid the prolonged and useless delay in Rio Gallegos airport on the day the aircraft returned to Punta Arenas that is approximately from mid day until 19:00 hours, during which the plaintiff had to remain in a wheel chair". The magistrate added that evidence shows there was minimum concern and willingness to help or assist the passenger in spite of her particular physical and health condition. "Lan Chile acted with negligence to the detriment of the complainants" and with a "deficient quality transport service". The compensation sum was not disclosed. Lan Chile was also fined for violation of air regulations.

Exceptional weather in Torres del Paine

Particularly mild temperatures have been reported in Chile's Torres del Paine national park, world famous for its glaciers. The exceptional temperatures in the range of 20 degrees Celsius were recorded at the local weather forecasting station. Guillermo Santana manager of the Park indicated that "they are the highest ever in this time of the year and in the 27 years I've been living in Torres del Paine". So far in 2003 on nine occasions temperatures were above 20 Celsius, with the highest last March 9 when it reached 24 Celsius. However the extraordinary record was last Friday July 25 with 20 degrees Celsius. "So far this winter we've only had ten days with below zero temperatures, the lowest last June 27th with minus 10 degrees", said Mr. Santana who added that "fortunately the water level of rivers and lakes has remained normal". However the only inconvenience so far has been the strong winds that have uprooted several trees close to the park's administration office.