Colombian airplane crashes after vanishing near Venezuelan border, leaving 15 dead including politician

A Colombian plane that vanished minutes after takeoff crashed near the Venezuelan border, killing all 15 people on board, including a prominent politician. 

A Beechcraft 1900 operated by Colombia’s state-owned airline Satena took off Wednesday morning from Cúcuta bound for Ocaña, but lost contact just 12 minutes into the 40-minute flight near the rugged Venezuelan border.

Hours later, the airline confirmed on X that the aircraft had ‘suffered a fatal accident,’ killing all 13 passengers and two crew members on board. 

The victims included Diógenes Quintero, a member of Colombia’s House of Representatives, and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo Salaza. 

In a statement to X, Quintero’s party said they express ‘its deep dismay at this painful loss, which not only plunges our party into mourning but also the country.’

‘Diógenes Quintero was a leader committed to his region, with a firm vocation for service and a profound sense of public responsibility,’ it added.

Those identified among the passengers killed were: María Álvarez Barbosa, Carlos Salcedo, Rolando Penaloza Gualdron, María Díaz Rodríguez, Maira Avendano Rincon, Anayisel Quintero, Karen Parales Vera, Anirley Julio Osorio, Gineth Rincon, Diogenes Quintero Amaya, Natalia Acosta Salcedo Maira Sánchez Criado and Juan Pacheco Mejía.

Captain Miguel Vanegas and Captain Jose de la Cruz were identified as the two crew members among the fatalities. 

‘From Satena, we extend our most sincere condolences with profound sorrow and our deepest solidarity to the families of our passengers and crew who lost their lives in the accident,’ the airline’s statement read.

Satena also revealed that the aircraft’s emergency beacon was not activated but offered no additional details about the cause of the deadly crash.   

‘We will make all our resources available for humanitarian assistance to their families and to clarify what happened,’ the airline added.

Flight HK-4709, operating the Cúcuta-Ocaña route, took off at 11:42am Wednesday for the short journey but seemingly vanished before its scheduled 12:05pm landing.

It remains unclear why the jet lost contact, but airport officials said flight data revealed a sudden drop in altitude just 11 minutes before its scheduled arrival at Aguas Claras Airport, as reported by The US Sun.

Once officials confirmed the flight had disappeared from radar, the airline said ‘all available resources’ were being used to locate the aircraft, which would have run out of fuel by 2pm.

Its last known signal came from the Catatumbo region – a remote, mountainous jungle notorious for dense vegetation and limited visibility. 

The area is also covered with coca plants – the raw material for cocaine – and is known to be controlled by illegal armed groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), as reported by Salem Radio Network News.

The Colombian Aerospace Force, National Army, and charter company Searca launched aerial searches over the area where the plane’s final signal was registered, as well as along its planned flight route. 

The government also assisted in the search, establishing a Power Management Unit (PMU) to coordinate efforts, according to Express News. 

Just before 5:30pm, the president of the Community Action Board of Curásica, in La Playa de Belén, reported to the airline that the plane had crashed, leaving no one alive. 

Officials said the aircraft was found destroyed in a rural area of Curásica, near the border with Venezuela, as reported by BNO News.

Weeks of heavy rain have battered the area, which has also seen recent violence, including targeted killings, kidnappings and forced displacement of civilians, according to local newspaper El Tiempo. 

Officials in Curasica informed authorities of the plane’s location, and a rescue team was dispatched to assess the condition of those on board. 

Images released by local media showed the crashed plane – including apparent extensive fuselage damage.

Another image captured bystanders helping medical crews recover victims from the wreckage. 

Other photos showed bags piled at the crash site, armed guards overseeing vehicles transporting the victims’ remains and members of Quintero’s campaign team visibly grieving. 

Satena, a key carrier for government officials and tourists alike, connects the capital with small regional airports throughout Colombia’s 32 states. 

The investigation into the fatal crash remains ongoing and no official cause has yet been released.