General

A passenger plane crashed in northern Colombia, resulting in the deaths of all 15 individuals aboard, as confirmed by the state-run airline, Satena. The airline stated that its aircraft, a Beechcraft 1900, experienced a “fatal accident” but did not provide additional details. The wreckage has been found in a mountainous region. Included on the official passenger list are lawmaker Diogenes Quintero Amaya and Carlos Salcedo, a candidate for the upcoming congressional elections. Satena reported that contact with the aircraft was lost 11 minutes before its scheduled landing in Ocaña, a city near the Venezuelan border, at 12:05 PM local time (17:05 GMT) on Wednesday. Flight NSE 8849 had taken off from Cúcuta, located about 100 km (62 miles) northeast of Ocaña, with 13 passengers and two crew members on board. A search operation started right away in the mountainous area, and a hotline was established for the families of those on the flight. The armed forces of Colombia are assisting in the search for the plane in an area that includes regions controlled by the ELN guerrilla group.