A small passenger aircraft carrying 15 people, including a Colombian lawmaker and a congressional candidate, crashed on January 28, 2026 in a remote rural area of northeastern Colombia, authorities confirmed. The twin-propeller plane, operated for state-owned airline Satena, lost contact with air traffic control shortly after taking off from Cúcuta, a city close to the border with Venezuela, en route to Ocaña.
Search and rescue teams from Colombia’s aviation and military authorities located the wreckage in the mountainous Norte de Santander province. Officials said there were no survivors among the 13 passengers and two crew members on board. Among the victims were Diógenes Quintero, a 36-year-old member of Colombia’s House of Representatives, and Carlos Salcedo, a social leader running for Congress in upcoming elections.
Quintero, a human rights lawyer and representative for conflict-affected regions under Colombia’s 2016 peace accords, was widely regarded as a committed advocate for his community. President Gustavo Petro and members of Quintero’s political party expressed deep sorrow and extended condolences to the families of those killed. Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the crash, but no official determination has yet been released.
The crash highlights the challenging conditions of flying in remote, mountainous regions near the Venezuela border and has prompted calls for improved aviation safety measures in Colombia’s interior. News as reported
