An aircraft carrying 15 people has crashed near Colombia’s border with Venezuela, killing all passengers and crew on board.
Colombia’s civil aviation authority confirmed that the plane, operated by state-owned airline Satena, went down on Wednesday after losing contact with air traffic controllers shortly before landing.
The aircraft departed from the border city of Cucuta and was expected to land in Ocana around midday when communication was suddenly lost. Aviation officials later confirmed that there were no survivors.
Thirteen passengers and two crew members were on board the Beechcraft 1900 twin-engine aircraft.
The crash occurred in a mountainous region known for unpredictable weather conditions and security challenges, with parts of the area reportedly under the influence of the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s largest guerrilla group.
Authorities said the Colombian Air Force was deployed to locate the wreckage and recover the bodies of the victims.
Among those feared to have been on the flight are a sitting lawmaker and a candidate contesting in upcoming legislative elections. A local parliamentarian, Wilmer Carrillo, expressed concern over the incident, identifying some of the political figures believed to have been travelling on the aircraft.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
