Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched a search and rescue operation after losing contact with a small aircraft flying from western Colombia toward the capital, Bogotá. The Cessna T206, registered HK4985, had taken off from Condoto and was passing near Pereira, a city in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, when it stopped communicating around 9:23 a.m. on Sunday.
Officials say five people were on board: the pilot and four passengers, all headed to Guaymaral Airport, a small airfield on the northern outskirts of Bogotá commonly used for private and regional flights. Minutes after the plane went silent, its emergency locator beacon activated near Cerro Tatamá, a rugged, hard-to-reach mountain range in the department of Risaralda.
Authorities immediately mobilized search and rescue protocols, coordinating with Colombia’s National Police, the Army and emergency response teams to reach the area and locate the missing aircraft. As of the latest update, the condition and whereabouts of those on board remain unknown, while specialized rescue crews make their way through the difficult terrain.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it will continue releasing official updates as the search progresses. For the full story and video footage of the plane’s flight path, read the original report at El Tiempo.
Source: Video| Se conoce recorrido que tenía aeronave antes de que se reportara como desaparecida en la ruta hacia Guaymaral (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Ken Lund, BY-SA 2.0 (via Openverse).