Colombian authorities have confirmed that all 15 people aboard a twin propeller aircraft that crashed in a mountainous area near the Venezuelan border have died, bringing a tragic end to rescue efforts launched after the plane vanished from radar.
The aircraft departed from the border city of Cúcuta on January 28 and lost contact with air traffic control shortly before its scheduled landing in Ocaña at about 5:00 p.m. GMT. The route passes through a notoriously difficult region marked by steep terrain and unpredictable weather.
Confirming the outcome, an aviation authority official told AFP, “There are no survivors.”
Among those killed was Diogenes Quintero, a member of Colombia’s Chamber of Deputies, alongside Carlos Salcedo, a political candidate in the upcoming elections. The aircraft was carrying 13 passengers and two crew members.
In response to the disappearance, the government deployed the Colombian Air Force to locate the wreckage and recover the bodies, NDTV reported. The crash site lies in an area complicated by limited access and security concerns linked to the presence of the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s largest guerrilla group.
Reacting to the tragedy, local parliamentarian Wilmer Carrillo said the news had shaken the political community, stating, “We have received with deep concern the information about the air accident in which my colleague, Diogenes Quintero, Carlos Salcedo and their teams were travelling.”
The latest crash adds to Colombia’s history of fatal aviation incidents involving prominent figures. In January 2025, a private aircraft crashed in central eastern Colombia, killing all six people on board, including popular singer Yeison Jiménez.