Commercial Flight Vanishes Before Crashing in Colombia, Killing All 15 People on Board, Including Congressman

On January 28, 2026, a flight operated by Satena disappeared shortly after takeoff from Cúcuta, bound for Ocaña. The Beechcraft 1900 lost contact with air traffic control just 12 minutes into the flight, around 11:54 a.m. local time, and the last signal indicated the plane would be unable to maintain flight past 2 p.m.

Emergency units were deployed to search the mountainous terrain where the plane was believed to have gone down. At approximately 5:30 p.m., local officials confirmed that the plane had crashed with no survivors. Among the victims was Diógenes Quintero, a member of the House of Representatives representing Catatumbo, who was known as a vocal defender of human rights in the conflict-prone region bordering Venezuela.

The passenger list included 13 others, notably Carlos Salcedo, a candidate for Colombia’s congressional elections. The urgency of locating the aircraft was compounded by the region's history of violence and illegal activities, further complicating the search.

In a statement, Satena expressed heartfelt condolences to the victims' families while stating that it would take all necessary steps to support them and investigate the crash's circumstances.

The area where the plane went down has been notorious for its mountainous terrain, compounded by adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain that have plagued the region recently.

Carlos Salcedo was described as a rising social leader focused on community development, while Quintero's role as a representative for the more than 9 million victims of Colombia's long-standing armed conflict was both significant and impactful, stemming from a peace agreement established in 2016.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed his deep sorrow over the incident via social media, extending condolences to the victims' families and calling for a thorough investigation into the crash. The investigation will likely focus on understanding the circumstances that led to such a devastating loss of life in a region already facing numerous challenges.