Fifteen Killed in Plane Crash Near Venezuelan Border, Colombian Politician Among Victims

Bogotá: At least fifteen people were killed after a small passenger aircraft crashed in northeast Colombia near the Venezuelan border, aviation authorities and state-owned airline Satena confirmed. The victims included a serving Colombian lawmaker and a congressional candidate, sending shockwaves through the country’s political and public circles.

The aircraft, identified as a Beechcraft 1900 operating as Satena Flight NSE 8849, was en route to the city of Ocaña when it lost contact with Air Traffic control just minutes before its scheduled landing on Tuesday. The disappearance triggered an immediate large-scale search operation across the remote and mountainous Catatumbo region.

Colombia’s civil aviation authority, along with military and emergency response teams, conducted an intensive air and ground search over difficult terrain. According to local media reports, the wreckage was located on Thursday, and all indications confirmed that no one on board survived, though formal identification procedures were still underway.

The flight was carrying 13 passengers and two crew members. Among the deceased were Diogenes Quintero, a well-known local lawmaker, several members of his political team, and Carlos Salcedo, a congressional candidate preparing for Colombia’s upcoming March Elections, as per the official passenger manifest released by the airline.

Flight tracking data showed that the aircraft departed from Cúcuta at approximately 11:42 am local time and made its final communication with air traffic control at 11:54 am. The plane was expected to land around 12:05 pm, but communication was abruptly lost shortly before arrival.

Satena, Colombia’s state-run airline, said that emergency and security protocols were activated immediately after the aircraft vanished from radar. Search and rescue teams deployed helicopters, surveillance aircraft, and ground units to comb the rugged region, where steep mountains and unpredictable weather often complicate aviation operations.

Images released by local media outlets from the crash site showed the aircraft with severe fuselage damage, indicating a high-impact collision. The debris was found scattered across a rural area near La Playa de Belén, reinforcing concerns about the challenges faced by rescue teams operating in the region.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact sequence of events that led to the crash. Officials from Colombia’s civil aviation ministry are expected to conduct a detailed investigation, including an examination of the wreckage, flight data, and weather conditions, to determine the cause of the tragedy.

Government officials acknowledged that the rugged terrain and adverse weather conditions in the Catatumbo area may have hindered search and rescue efforts from the outset, delaying access to the crash site.

The Norte de Santander governor’s office issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the incident and extended condolences to the victims’ families.

“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred following the aircraft accident confirmed in the last few hours in the rural area of La Playa de Belén. We express our solidarity and heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims during this difficult time,” the statement said.