They deny having found a lost plane while flying over the department of Meta

Around 5 p.m. this Thursday, July 8, it was reported that the plane lost since the morning in Villavicencio (Meta) was found thanks to a drone used by firefighters, Civil Defense and the Red Cross. town, however, this information was quickly refuted.

At 6:20 p.m., the Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics of Colombia issued a statement in which it indicated that research work is continuing.

This event occurred at 7:05 am the same Thursday, when the plane lost contact with the control tower at Vanguardia de Villavicencio airport. The information was given to know by the Civil Aviation, which specified that it was about a plane of the type Douglas DC-3, registered HK-2820 of the company Aliansa, which took off around 7 a.m. morning and when the trail got lost. 1700 meters high.

The accident is said to have occurred in a wooded area in the Cordillera Occidental. Civil Aviation explained that after losing contact, the entity’s search and rescue personnel, along with other relief agencies, began work in an attempt to locate the aircraft and its occupants, however, the process was complicated. During this Thursday it rained constantly in the region, which complicated the air rescue work.

In view of the above, the country’s aeronautical authority has assured that searches will resume this Friday, July 9 in the morning, at sunrise.

“Civil aviation search and rescue personnel, along with other relief organizations, are continuing work in an attempt to locate the aircraft and its occupants in an area west of Restrepo (Meta). A Civil Aeronautics Commission, with the support of a Colombian Air Force helicopter, is focusing on this task. The efforts will be prolonged until there are sufficient daylight conditions “said the entity.

So far, no further details of the incident have been provided, but the three people on the plane are expected to be alive and able to be rescued and treated by staff. health. The crew members were identified as Captain Jhon Sixto Acero Wilches, Captain Juan Carlos Cortés Guarín and Technician Carlos Eduardo Olaya Reyes.

Although this incident was reported on Thursday, the authorities assure that it is not a frequent situation in Colombia. Civil Aviation, with several experts in piloting and aviation, stressed that aviation safety in Colombia is a benchmark. The expert panel pointed out that of the total tourists who travel by air to Colombia, 98% do so in regular commercial planes, operated by well-known airlines and the remaining 2% do so in private planes.

According to statistics presented by Miguel Camacho, head of the Civil Aeronautics Air Research Group, the accident rate in Colombia in 2020 was 3.5 per 100,000 flights. This air traffic figure is the equivalent of the six-month operation. However, it is essential to stress that accidents do not always lead to death and injury. Damage to aircraft is also taken into account.

After an accident, Aeronautics begins investigations, which take an average of a year, but may take less time if the people concerned take legal action to speed up the process.

KEEP READING: