Penélope Knuth dies in Chilean orchestra bus accident

A bus transporting members of the Orquesta de Cámara de Chile crashed in Valparaíso, resulting in the death of prominent American violist Penélope Knuth. The accident occurred on a Saturday night after the musicians had performed at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María.

The vehicle reportedly went off a hillside, falling approximately 15 meters into a residential parking lot. While initial reports indicated 13 injuries, subsequent updates suggested the number of injured individuals could be as high as 30, with several suffering serious fractures and internal injuries.

Authorities have detained the bus driver, identified by the initials J. A. R. R., while the Fiscalía investigates the cause of the crash. Knuth, who had lived in Chile for over 30 years and served as a professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica, was the only confirmed fatality.