On Wednesday, a Satena airline plane crashed in northeastern Colombia, killing all 15 passengers and crew members on board. The tragedy occurred during a short flight from Cúcuta to Ocaña, and among the victims were influential representatives of the local political establishment. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
The twin-engine turboprop Beechcraft 1900 took off before noon local time, but air traffic controllers lost contact with it just 12 minutes after takeoff. According to the airline, the aircraft's emergency beacon did not activate for unknown reasons. Photos published online show the heavily damaged fuselage of the plane in a mountainous area.
Death of a legislator and congressional candidates
According to the official passenger list, local legislator Diogenes Quintero was on board with members of his team.
Carlos Salcedo, a congressional candidate who was campaigning ahead of the March elections, was also identified among the dead. The death of politicians of this level has been a serious shock to the region ahead of the vote.
Regional risks and investigation
The crash site is located in a mountainous area where coca plantations are located and illegal armed groups operate, including the National Liberation Army (ELN) and FARC dissidents. So far, officials have not commented on the possible impact of these factors on the disaster, emphasizing the need for technical expertise. A search operation and collection of debris are currently underway to establish the exact causes of the tragedy.