Passenger aircraft ‘vanishes’ as air traffic control ‘loses communication’ with plane | World | News

Fears are growing for a Satena airline aircraft after it lost communications with air traffic control in the North Santander. The HK4709 flight was travelling from Cucuta to Ocaña on Wednesday with 15 people on board. 

Air traffic control lost communication with the aircraft at approximately 12pm local time (5pm GMT), it is reported. The small aircraft was scheduled to land at 12.10pm local time at Aguas Claras Airport in Ocaña, the second-largest populated area in the North Santander department.  

Alarm was raised over the small aircraft, which is believed to have the capacity of carrying 19 passengers, after it failed to reach its destination.

The last location recorded by radar places the aircraft in an area between the municipalities of Hacarí and La Playa de Belén, in the Catatumbo region, El Heraldo reports.  

Satena confirmed that the took off at 11.42am and was scheduled to land at 12.05, but the last contact with the aircraft was at 11.54am.

The Directorate of Accident Investigation said it is currently gathering information regarding the loss of communication with the aircraft.

The corresponding protocols have been activated, and they have already initiated a Power Management Unit (PMU), transport minister Maria Rojas said.

According to local media, search efforts are focused on rural and hard-to-reach areas in the north.