Truck driver smashes into an iconic Easter island statue causing ‘incalculable’ damage
- Chilean man crashed his truck into an Easter Island ‘head’, angering locals
- Driver charged with causing ‘incalculable’ damage to a national monument
- Mayor Pedro Edmund Paoa has called for tougher vehicle restrictions
- This comes as Easter Island tourism and population numbers continue to rise
- Moai statues were regarded by island inhabitants as symbols of religious power
A Chilean man was arrested after crashing his truck into one of Easter Island’s famous headstones, causing the mayor to call for vehicle restrictions.
The driver, who reportedly lives on the Polynesian island, sparked anger among islanders after driving into one of the sacred moai statues.
He was arrested after the incident on Sunday, and charged with damaging a national monument, Chilean newspaper El Mercurio de Valparaiso reported.
Moai, which now number around 1,000, were regarded by Easter Island inhabitants as symbols of religious and political authority, scholars believe.
The driver, who reportedly lives on the Polynesian island, sparking anger among islanders after driving into one of the sacred moai statues
The destruction of one, though, has spurred Mayor Pedro Edmund Paoa into action, advocating stricter traffic controls on Easter Island.
El Mercurio reported that the mayor had previously called for better controls as the island faces rising population levels and rates of tourism.
He said: ‘They didn’t listen to us and this is the result.
He was arrested after the incident on Sunday, and charged with damaging a national monument, Chilean newspaper El Mercurio de Valparaiso reported
Moai, which now number less than 1,000, were regarded by Easter Island inhabitants as symbols of religious and political authority, scholars believe
Rapa Nui (known as Easter Island) is believed to have been settled in the 13th century by Polynesian seafarers. Most of its famed sculptures were from Ranu Raraku quarry
‘Everyone decided against establishing traffic rules when it came to vehicles on sacred sites – but we, as a council, were talking about the dangers and knew very well what the rise in tourist and resident numbers could mean.’
Camilo Rapu, the president of the Ma’u Henua community which looks after the moai, told The Guardian that he suspects the crash was deliberate.
He called the ‘dreadful’ crash ‘an offence against a living culture that has spent the last few years fighting to regain its historic and archaeological heritage’.
Camilo Rapu, the president of the Ma’u Henua community which looks after the moai (pictured on the hillside of the Rano Raraku volcano), suspects the crash was deliberate