Fifteen people killed including politician in horror plane crash in Colombia after jet vanished mid-flight

A PLANE carrying 15 people including a congressman has crashed in Colombia killing everyone onboard.

Just 12 minutes after take-off, authorities lost all communication with Satena Airlines Flight HK4709, which had two crew and 13 passengers onboard.

Tragically, there were no survivors, Colombia’s civil aviation authority said.

Satena Airlines confirmed on X that the aircraft “suffered a fatal accident, resulting in 15 deaths”.

“We extend our most sincere condolences with profound sorrow and our deepest solidarity to the families of our passengers and crew who lost their lives in the accident,” the statement read.

“We will also make all our resources available for humanitarian assistance to their families and to clarify what happened.”

The government-owned airline did not say what caused the crash and said the plane’s emergency beacon had not been activated.

Diógenes Quintero, a member of Colombia’s House of Representatives, and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo Salaza were both onboard the flight, according to a passenger list released by the airline.

It’s understood the crash site has been found near Colombia’s border with Venezuela in Curasica, Playa de Belén, Norte de Santander.

Local officials in the community of Curasica notified authorities about where the plane had gone down and a rescue team was deployed to assess the condition of the passengers.

The plane was travelling out of Cúcuta and was headed for Ocaña for a flight that typically lasts about 40 minutes.

Colombia’s Minister of Transport Mafe Rojas said on X: “We are gathering information regarding the loss of communication with aircraft HK4709, which was flying the Cúcuta-Ocaña route with 13 passengers and 2 crew members.”

Satena Airlines said: “Flight NSE 8849, covering the Cúcuta-Ocaña route, which took off at around 11:42am and was scheduled to land at around 12:05pm, reported its last contact with air traffic control at 11:54am today.”

Flight data shows the plane’s last recorded position – in an area within the Catatumbo region.

Political party Union for the People claimed members of its officials’ teams were also onboard the flight.

They said that the national army had been scrambled to help the search effort.

It is currently unclear why the jet lost all contact – but local airport authorities said the plane’s flight history showed a sudden altitude drop 11 minutes before its expected landing.

The jet is understood to be a smaller aircraft, specifically a Beechcraft 1900.

Its last known position was above a remote region packed with dense jungle, complicating search efforts.

The mountainous area is planted with coca leaves – the raw material used in cocaine.

Armed gangs such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) are known to operate in the region.