Commercial flight vanishes before crashing in Colombia, killing all 15 people on board, including congressman

A Satena commercial flight, HK-4709, crashed in Colombia near the Venezuelan border on Wednesday, killing all 15 people on board. The Beechcraft 1900, en route from Cúcuta to Ocaña, lost contact with air traffic control shortly after its 11:42 a.m. departure. Search operations were launched by the Colombian Aerospace Force, National Army, and Searca. The crash was confirmed around 5:30 p.m. based on information from a local community leader. Among the victims were congressman Diogenes Quintero Amaya and House of Representatives candidate Carlos Salcedo. Satena has expressed condolences and pledged to support the families of the deceased and investigate the cause of the crash. The airline is commonly used by government officials and tourists to connect Bogotá with regional airports.

A plane crash in northeastern Colombia on Wednesday killed all 15 people aboard. The Satena Beechcraft 1900, en route from Cucuta to Ocana, lost contact with air traffic control 12 minutes after takeoff. Among the deceased were local lawmaker Diogenes Quintero and members of his team, as well as Carlos Salcedo, a congressional candidate. The airline reported that the plane's emergency beacon was not activated, and the cause of the crash is currently unknown. Images from the scene show significant damage to the aircraft's fuselage.

A Satena passenger plane crashed in northern Colombia on Wednesday, killing all 15 people on board. The Beechcraft 1900 aircraft, flight NSE 8849, was en route from Cúcuta to Ocaña when contact was lost 11 minutes before its scheduled landing. The wreckage was located in a mountainous area, where Colombia's armed forces assisted in the search. Among the passengers were lawmaker Diogenes Quintero Amaya and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo. The plane was carrying 13 passengers and two crew members. The cause of the crash is currently unknown.

A passenger plane carrying 15 people, including a Colombian lawmaker and an election candidate, disappeared on January 28, 2026, in a remote jungle region near Colombia's eastern border with Venezuela. The plane, operated by Satena, was en route from Cucuta to Ocana when it lost radar contact. Colombian authorities have launched a search and rescue operation, hindered by dense terrain and adverse weather conditions. Initial reports indicate a sudden altitude drop shortly before the plane was expected to land. The cause of the disappearance remains unknown, and an investigation is underway.