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Pickup Crashes Into And Destroys Easter Island Moai Statues After Brakes Fail

The moai statues of Easter Island are a legendary part of this planet’s history. But apparently don’t match up to the strength of a pickup truck that caused “incalculable” damage when it crashed into one.

According to The Guardian, the island’s mayor told a Chilean newspaper that the truck lost its brakes and was unable to stop before hitting the statue. From photos found on social media, the truck looks like it left the road and built speed as it travelled downhill. It’s likely that if the car didn’t hit the statue, then it would have dropped into the ocean.

The BBC says that the statue was seriously damaged, and the platform it was sat on was “destroyed”. This resulted in the arrest of the driver for damaging a national monument, despite it seeming like an accident. Of course, it also caused a stir from the locals who were upset by the crash, and the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community’s Facebook page reiterated the “importance of taking care of the heritage” … “because they [the moai] are not only archaeological remains, they are sacred elements for a living culture and fundamental in our Rapa Nui worldview.”

Since the incident, the mayor has called for the surrounding areas to be no-vehicle areas, with him adding that it had been discussed in the past but no action was taken.

Alex Harrington

Alex started racing at a young age so certainly knows his way around a car and a track. He can just about put a sentence together too, which helps. He has a great interest in the latest models, but would throw all of his money at a rusty old French classic and a 300ZX. Contact: [email protected]

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