A twin-engine aircraft carrying 15 people, including Colombian lawmaker Diogenes Quintero, has crashed in a mountainous area near the Venezuelan border, with no survivors reported.
According to AFP, the aircraft departed the border city of Cúcuta on January 28 but lost contact with air traffic control shortly before its scheduled landing in the nearby town of Ocaña at about 5:00 p.m. GMT.
An official of Colombia’s aviation authority confirmed the crash, saying all 15 occupants—13 passengers and two crew members—died in the incident.
The crash site is located in a region known for its rugged terrain, volatile weather conditions, and the presence of armed groups, including the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s largest guerrilla organisation.
In a separate report, NDTV said the Colombian government deployed the Air Force to search for the aircraft and recover the bodies.
Reacting to the incident, local parliamentarian Wilmer Carrillo expressed concern, confirming that Quintero was among those on board. He noted that the lawmaker was travelling with fellow politician Carlos Salcedo, a candidate in the forthcoming elections, and members of their teams.
Quintero is a serving member of Colombia’s Chamber of Deputies.
The incident adds to a series of fatal aviation accidents involving prominent figures in the country. In January 2025, a private aircraft crashed in central-eastern Colombia, killing all six people on board, including popular singer Yeison Jiménez.
