The aerial tragedy that occurred in San Juan left seven fatalities and shocked the country. Among them was Matías “Ronco” Valenzuela, the pilot who commanded the Bell 412EP helicopter that crashed in the Valle Fértil region during a training exercise tied to forest fire suppression.
Valenzuela was 53 years old and carried a long career as a helicopter pilot. He served as commander of the Buenos Aires Province Police and had been involved in aviation for nearly three decades, in addition to working for companies dedicated to emergencies and rescues.
A life devoted to helicopters and emergencies
Since 1996, Valenzuela had been part of the Buenos Aires Province Police as a helicopter pilot, where he rose to the rank of commander.
Throughout his career he also worked as a commercial pilot and flight instructor. He held instrument and night-flight qualifications, in addition to training related to aerial photography and the use of FLIR systems.
His experience also included rescue operations, aerial evacuations, patient transports and firefighting missions, a demanding activity given the conditions under which these maneuvers must be conducted.
Valenzuela worked as a commander for Jasfly, the operator of the helicopter involved in the accident, and he was also part of UTV Aeroemergencias, specialized in evacuations, rescues and medical transfers.
His involvement with this type of missions had been documented years earlier. In 2020, La Capital reported that Valenzuela had joined the crew of an emergency medical helicopter that transferred a five-year-old boy from Venado Tuerto to Rosario after a road accident.
He lived in General Belgrano and had a daughter
Outside of his extensive professional career, Valenzuela resided in General Belgrano, in Buenos Aires Province. He was in a relationship and was a father to a daughter.
Those who worked with him remember him not only for his experience in high-risk situations but also for his humanity.
Fernando Scabuzzo, a colleague at UTV Aeroemergencias and former head of the Santa Fe Police Air Brigade, described him as a very beloved person and highlighted his bravery and experience.
Scabuzzo also recalled that Valenzuela had been the one who rescued him two years earlier after an accident. “I can say that he saved my life,” he remembered when talking about his colleague.
A pilot who knew the risks of flying into fires
Valenzuela’s experience in firefighting meant he knew firsthand the dangers of such operations.
In fact, just one day before the accident he had joined a tour with journalists in San Juan and spoke about his work. Asked about what he felt while carrying out these missions, he replied: “You do it because you like it. I honestly love doing this. It’s one of the helicopter jobs that, if not the most, carries the greatest risk. And well, you have to enjoy it.”
In the same interview, he also underscored the importance of tightening safety measures during operations. His words, spoken hours before the tragedy, take on a particularly painful dimension now.
The farewell from his colleagues
Following the news, UTV Aeroemergencias publicly bid farewell to the commander.
“Today we bid farewell to our dear commander, Matías ‘Ronco’ Valenzuela. His departure leaves a huge void in our team and in every person who had the privilege of sharing his vocation, his dedication and his enormous heart,” the company stated.
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Angel
I write about fashion with a personal eye for detail, elegance, and real-life style. Through Angel’s Boutique, I share honest reviews, boutique finds, and style notes for women who want inspiration that feels feminine, modern, and easy to make their own.