All 15 Passengers Die in Plane Crash in Northern Colombia, Including Lawmaker and Election Candidate

A passenger plane accident in northern Colombia has resulted in the deaths of all 15 individuals aboard, as reported by the state-owned carrier Satena.

The airline released a statement indicating that its Beechcraft 1900 aircraft experienced a fatal incident while heading towards Ocaña, located near the Venezuelan border. While specifics regarding the crash's cause have yet to be provided, the airline confirmed that wreckage was discovered in a remote mountainous region.

The flight, identified as NSE 8849, departed from the city of Cúcuta, situated approximately 100 kilometers northeast of Ocaña, and was carrying 13 passengers alongside two crew members. Communication with the plane was lost about 11 minutes prior to its planned arrival at 12:05 local time on Wednesday.

Among the deceased passengers was Colombian lawmaker Diógenes Quintero Amaya, as well as Carlos Salcedo, who was a candidate in the forthcoming congressional elections. A message posted on Quintero's Facebook account referred to him as “a man who dedicated his life to serving those in need.”

Quintero represented one of the 16 special parliamentary seats in Colombia allocated to victims of the prolonged armed conflict involving the state and various rebel factions, including the now-disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).

Recovery and search efforts are currently underway in the area of the crash, with assistance from Colombia's armed forces due to challenging terrain and associated security risks. Some parts of the region are reportedly influenced by the ELN guerrilla group.

William Villamizar, the Governor of Norte de Santander, informed local media outlet Semana that seven bodies have already been retrieved. A dedicated hotline has been established to assist the families of those on board with information and support.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has conveyed his condolences on social media, expressing his deep sorrow for the tragic loss of life as investigations commence to uncover the circumstances surrounding the crash.