15 killed including lawmaker in Colombian plane crash near Venezuela border

BOGOTÁ – 29 January 2026: All 15 people aboard a Colombian state-operated aircraft were killed after it crashed in a mountainous area near the Venezuelan border shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, authorities said.

The SATENA-operated plane had departed from the border city of Cúcuta and was heading to Ocaña when contact was lost.

The country’s transportation ministry confirmed that rescue teams found no survivors at the crash site.

Among the victims were two crew members and 13 passengers, including 36-year-old Diogenes Quintero, a Colombian lawmaker representing the Catatumbo region.

Officials said the cause of the crash has not yet been determined and that a formal investigation is underway.