Penélope Knuth, principal violist of the Chile Chamber Orchestra (OCCH), died on Saturday night in Valparaíso. She was traveling on a bus carrying 46 members of the ensemble, which overturned and fell about 20 meters.
According to T13, the crash also left 13 people injured, four of them seriously. The Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage confirmed the victim's identity and provided the same figures in a statement reported by BioBioChile.
The bus fell onto Diego Portales Street, near the Yolanda area in Placeres, a few meters from España Avenue. According to preliminary information cited by T13, the vehicle apparently continued straight ahead while heading downhill and ended up in the courtyard of a condominium.
The sources do not report what caused the crash or whether a formal investigation is underway. BioBioChile says the relevant authorities will have to clarify the circumstances. There was also no information on which healthcare facilities were treating the injured.
Knuth was born in New York and had lived in Chile for many years. She was a member of the OCCH, which operates under the Ministry of Cultures, for more than 30 years. She was also an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
In its farewell tribute, the ministry wrote that Penélope devoted her talent and commitment to the orchestra, "leaving an invaluable mark on the nation's music". It also highlighted her contribution to promoting music in the country.
The ministry said it had contacted the family and sent its condolences to Georgina, the musician's daughter. It also expressed solidarity with the orchestra members affected.
Minister Francisco Undurraga posted on X that he was bidding farewell to Knuth with deep sorrow. President José Antonio Kast wrote on the same social network that government teams had been deployed to assist the injured.
The Regional Secretariat of Cultures for the Valparaíso Region (the ministry's regional secretariat) went to the crash site to support the ongoing efforts.
