News|AviationColombian lawmaker among 15 missing in plane disappearancePlane vanished in remote jungle near eastern border with Venezuela; search hindered by dense terrain and adverse weather.
Bogota, Colombia – Search and rescue operations are underway in Colombia for a passenger plane with 15 individuals on board that went missing near the eastern border with Venezuela.
Bogota, Colombia – Search and rescue operations are underway in Colombia for a passenger plane with 15 individuals on board that went missing near the eastern border with Venezuela.
The flight included two crew members, a Colombian congressional representative, and a candidate running in the upcoming elections, as confirmed by local authorities.
Details regarding the cause of the disappearance remain unclear. However, local Air Traffic Control indicated that there was a sudden drop in altitude 11 minutes prior to the plane's expected arrival in Ocana.
The aircraft, operated by government-owned airline Satena, was traveling from Cucuta to Ocana, two cities in the North Santander department bordering Venezuela, when it lost radar contact.
Maria Fernanda Rojas, Colombia’s Minister of Transport, stated that the Accident Investigation Directorate of AerocivilCol is collecting data concerning the communication loss from aircraft HK4709 on the Cucuta-Ocaña route, which carried 13 passengers and 2 crew members. She also mentioned that the "Unified Command Post" (PMU) has been activated to address the emergency.
However, local Air Traffic Control indicated that there was a sudden drop in altitude 11 minutes prior to the plane's expected arrival in Ocana.
The aircraft disappeared in a remote area characterized by dense jungle, which complicates search-and-rescue efforts.
Among the passengers were Diogenes Quintero, a lower house lawmaker with a seat reserved for conflict victims, and Carlos Salcedo Salazar, a candidate for the same seat.
A local government official, speaking anonymously, indicated adverse weather conditions might have affected the plane.
The Catatumbo region, where the plane disappeared, is an active conflict zone and home to extensive coca cultivation, which is the primary raw material for cocaine production.
The region's strategic location on the Venezuelan border has historically been a focal point for armed conflicts involving rebel groups.
In January last year, confrontations between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and Frente 33, a dissident faction of demobilized FARC fighters, led to the displacement of over 50,000 people in the area.
The airline route from Cucuta to Ocana commenced operations in June of the previous year, representing an important development for a region with historically limited road access to major cities.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.