The wreckage of a Satena plane carrying 15 people — 13 passengers and two crew — was found in La Playa de Belén; authorities confirmed there were no survivors. Congressman Diógenes Quintero, a representative of the special peace constituencies, was among those on board. The flight departed Camilo Daza airport in Cúcuta at 11:42 a.m. ET and last contacted air traffic control at 11:54 a.m.; FlightAware shows the signal dropped about nine minutes after takeoff. Officials located the wreckage after an aerial search and said a formal investigation is underway.
No Survivors After Satena Plane Crash in Colombia; Lawmaker Diógenes Quintero Among 15 Killed
The scene of a plane crash in Ocaña, Colombia, on January 28, 2026. - Aeronáutica Civil Colombia
Colombian authorities confirmed that there were no survivors after a small Satena aircraft carrying 13 passengers and two crew members crashed on Wednesday, the country’s Civil Aeronautics Authority told CNN.
The wreckage was located in a rural area of La Playa de Belén in the northeastern department of Norte de Santander following an aerial search that involved multiple aircraft. Officials said the aircraft had been flying from Camilo Daza airport in Cúcuta to Ocaña when it lost contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff.
Congressman Diógenes Quintero, a representative of the special peace constituencies created under the 2016 peace accords with the FARC, was among those on board, his political party and communications team confirmed. His team said they lost contact with him and his assistant after the plane disappeared from tracking systems; the last registered phone location for both was Camilo Daza airport prior to departure.
Satena reported the flight departed Cúcuta at 11:42 a.m. ET with an expected arrival near 12:05 p.m. ET. The airline and Transportation Minister María Fernanda Rojas said the last recorded contact with air traffic control occurred at 11:54 a.m. ET. Flight-tracking service FlightAware shows the aircraft's signal vanished roughly nine minutes after takeoff.
Local authorities and the governor’s office of Norte de Santander extended condolences to the families of the victims. The governor’s office issued a statement expressing solidarity and heartfelt condolences to the victims’ relatives and friends.
"We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred following the aircraft accident confirmed in the last few hours in the rural area of La Playa de Belén. We express our solidarity and heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims," the office said.
Quintero had served in the national legislature since 2022 as a representative of one of 16 seats reserved for victims of violence under the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Colombia’s U Party described him as a leader committed to his region with a strong vocation for public service.
Investigators have not yet released a cause for the crash. Authorities said an official investigation will determine the sequence of events and the factors that contributed to the accident.
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