Colombian Lawmaker among 15 killed in plane crash near Venezuela

Bogotá, (Colombia) Jan 29: A passenger plane crashed in northeastern Colombia on Wednesday, killing all 15 people on board, including Colombian lawmaker Diógenes Quintero Amaya and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo, authorities confirmed.
The flight, operated by Colombian airline Satena, was a Beechcraft 1900 traveling from Cúcuta to Ocaña, near the Venezuelan border. In a statement posted on X, Satena said, “The Satena airline deeply regrets to announce that the Beechcraft aircraft, registration number HK-4709, operating flight NSE 8849 from Cúcuta to Ocaña, suffered a fatal accident, resulting in the loss of 15 lives.”
There were 13 passengers and two crew members on board, with the official passenger list including a Colombian lawmaker and a candidate running for office.
Colombia’s Ministry of Transportation confirmed there were no survivors and said the nation is in mourning. The wreckage was located in a remote, mountainous region, and the dense jungle has complicated search and rescue operations.
Transportation Minister María Fernanda Rojas expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. Among those killed were two crew members, a congressional representative, and a candidate in the upcoming elections.
The incident has raised concerns about aviation safety in the region, especially for flights operating in remote areas.