The plane vanished near Colombia’s eastern border, and the search was hindered by dense jungle terrain and adverse weather.
Bogota, Colombia – Colombia’s Ministry of Transportation has confirmed that a flight carrying 15 passengers has crashed near the country’s eastern border with Venezuela, killing all 15 passengers on board.
“The country is in mourning,” the ministry wrote on Wednesday in a statement online.
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In a news conference, Transportation Minister Maria Fernanda Rojas offered her condolences to the families of those killed and assured the public that an investigation into the crash was ongoing.
“We know that this situation is complex for any family involved, and I want to give the message that, on the part of the state, we are doing all the necessary tasks, protocols and procedures to address the situation and deliver responsible information,” she said.
Much is still unknown about the circumstances surrounding the crash and its causes. But the death toll reportedly includes two crew members, a Colombian congressional representative, and a candidate running in the country’s upcoming elections.
The flight, operated by the government-run commercial airline Satena, was en route from Cucuta to Ocana, two cities in the North Santander department bordering Venezuela, when it left radar coverage.
Local air traffic control sources say the plane’s flight history shows a sudden altitude drop 11 minutes before it was expected to land in Ocana.
Earlier in the day, Rojas wrote in a social media post on X that the accident investigation directorate of the Civil Aeronautics administration was “gathering information regarding the loss of communication from aircraft HK4709”.
“The corresponding protocols have been activated, and we have already initiated PMU,” added Rojas, referring to the “Unified Command Post” set up to respond to emergencies.
The plane disappeared in a remote region characterised by dense jungle, complicating search-and-rescue efforts.
Among the passengers was Diogenes Quintero, a lower house lawmaker who holds a seat specially reserved for conflict victims. He was accompanied by Carlos Salcedo Salazar, a candidate running for the same seat.
A local government official, who requested anonymity since they were not authorised to speak to the press, told Al Jazeera that authorities suspected that the plane had been affected by adverse weather conditions.
Drug trade
The Catatumbo region is also an active conflict zone and is home to the world’s largest cultivations of coca, the plant which produces the raw ingredient used to make cocaine.
Both the drug trade and the region’s strategic location on the Venezuelan border have made it a historic hotbed for armed conflict between rebel groups.
In January last year, violent clashes between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and Frente 33, a dissident group of the demobilised FARC fighters, displaced more than 50,000 people in the region.
The route from Cucuta to Ocana began operating only in June last year, marking an important milestone for a region that has historically had poor road connections to major cities.
