Influencer Ben Wood dies at 43 while trying to rescue drowning couple in Chile

Food influencer Ben Wood has died at the age of 43 after attempting to rescue a drowning couple at a beach in Chile.

Wood was walking along the shore in Algarrobo, a coastal city in central Chile, on March 9 when a large wave swept a 26-year-old woman into the ocean. Her partner jumped in to try to save her, prompting Wood, his wife and his father to also rush into the water to help.

The powerful surf quickly overwhelmed them, and all four, the woman, Wood, his father and his wife, were swept away by the waves. The woman’s partner was the only person rescued after the Chilean Navy pulled him from the water by helicopter.

Wood died quickly at the scene, while his wife was initially pulled from the water alive but later died at a hospital, according to local reports cited by authorities.

The American-born influencer had been living in Chile for more than a decade and built a following of over 37,000 people on Instagram, where he shared videos about cooking, burgers and craft beer.

Beyond social media, Wood was also an entrepreneur in the country’s craft beer industry. He founded Craftwork Chile, a mail-order beer marketplace with subscription offerings, and worked on brewing projects such as Lost and Found Liquids.

His daughter confirmed his death in a tribute shared to his Instagram Stories on March 11, remembering him and his wife for their “tremendous love for their work, their life, their passion.”

“March 9th will be for you and to remember how you gave your lives for others,” the message read, honoring the couple’s final act of trying to save strangers in danger.

Tributes have also poured in from fans and friends online, with many remembering Wood not only for his culinary content but for the bravery he showed in his final moments.