A small aircraft went down in a rural section of Norte de Santander, a northeastern region of Colombia, on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of all 15 individuals aboard, among them a congressman, as reported by officials.
Satena, the national airline that operated the flight, mentioned that local authorities in the Clasica area informed them of the crash site, prompting a rescue team to be sent to “check on the condition of the passengers.”
Later, Colombia’s Ministry of Transport released a statement stating, “Unfortunately, after discovering the aircraft, it was confirmed that there were no survivors.”
The plane, identified by registration number HK4709, took off from Cúcuta, the capital city of the province, at 11:42 a.m. local time, heading for Ocaña—a journey typically lasting around 40 minutes.
According to Satena, the aircraft made its last communication with air traffic control just a few minutes following takeoff.
While officials haven’t disclosed the cause of the crash, they confirmed that an investigation would be initiated.
The small aircraft was carrying two crew members along with 13 passengers, which included Diogenes Quintero, 36, a congressman from Catatumbo.
Another victim was Carlos Salcedo, a social leader and congressional candidate.
Diogenes Quintero was known for his work as a human rights activist in the contentious border region near Venezuela where the crash occurred.
A lawyer by profession, he was elected in 2022 as one of 16 representatives for over 9 million victims stemming from Colombia’s protracted armed conflict.
This congressional seat was established as part of a pivotal peace agreement from 2016 between the Colombian government and the country’s largest guerrilla group, the FARC.
His political party, the U Party, expressed their sorrow over his passing, describing him as “a leader marked by service and commitment to his community.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to social media to express his condolences, stating, “I am deeply saddened by the deaths of these individuals. My heartfelt sympathies go to their families. May they find peace.”
