Accident occurred in the mountainous region of Catatumbo; aircraft carried a deputy and traveled between the cities of Cúcuta and Ocaña
A state airline plane crashed in northeast Colombia this Wednesday (28 January 2026). The 15 people on board died. The accident occurred in the rural area of La Playa de Belén. Among the victims was the deputy, member of the Congress of the Republic of Colombia.
The aircraft was traveling between the cities of Cúcuta and Ocaña with 13 passengers and 2 crew members. According to a statement from Satena, the plane took off at 11:42 am from Camilo Daza Airport, with a scheduled landing time of 12:05 pm. The last contact with air traffic control was at 11:54 am.
In an official statement issued this Wednesday afternoon, Satena said that the president of the communal action board of Vereda Curasica confirmed the accident. Rescue teams found the aircraft with all 15 occupants dead. The company expressed condolences to the families. Before the announcement, the plane was listed as missing.
Deputy Quintero’s communications team published a note on social media before confirming the accident. “We inform you that we have not yet been able to contact the deputy and his advisor, Natalia Acosta Salcedo, after the disappearance of the Satena flight from Cúcuta to Ocaña”the text.
Quintero, elected in 2022, had a mandate until 2026. The La U Party lamented the loss and highlighted its commitment to the region and public responsibility
Satena activated humanitarian assistance for families and collaborates in investigations to clarify the causes. The place where the plane crashed is in the Catatumbo region, a mountainous area.
The Beechcraft 1900 is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed for difficult terrain, with capacity for 19 passengers.
Quintero had been elected to the Colombian Congress in 2022 as a representative of the Coalition for Peace, with a mandate until 2026. The La U Party, to which the deputy belonged, issued a statement about the loss.
“Our Board of Directors, the benches of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as all our members, express their deep regret for this painful loss, which saddens not only our party, but also the country. Diógenes Quintero was a leader committed to his region, with a firm vocation for service and a deep sense of public responsibility”the party.
