Colombia plane crash kills 15, including lawmaker
A small passenger plane crashed in northeastern Colombia on Wednesday, claiming the lives of all 15 people on board, authorities said. Among the victims were a sitting lawmaker and a candidate for upcoming elections.
The Beechcraft 1900 aircraft, operated by state airline Satena and leased from a private company, departed before noon from Cúcuta, near the Venezuelan border, on a short flight to Ocaña. Air traffic control lost contact with the plane roughly 12 minutes into the journey.
Rescue teams later located the wreckage in a remote, mountainous area of Playa de Belén in Norte de Santander province. Officials confirmed that there were no survivors.
Among the deceased was Diógenes Quintero, a 36-year-old member of the Colombian House of Representatives, and Carlos Salcedo, who was running for a legislative seat. Both figures were prominent in local politics and had been traveling together with members of their teams.
Colombian authorities have launched an investigation into the causes of the crash. Poor weather conditions and challenging terrain have complicated search and recovery operations in the rural region.
President Gustavo Petro expressed his condolences on social media, calling the tragedy “very painful” and offering solidarity to the families of those lost.
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