Plane crashes in Colombian neighborhood, killing 8 people and destroying 7 homes
A small plane crashed Monday in a neighborhood in the central Colombian city of Medellín, killing eight people on board, airport authorities said. No injuries were immediately reported on the ground.
The aircraft crashed after taking off from the Olaya Herrera Airport, Colombian aviation officials said in a statement. The victims were identified as six passengers and two crew members. It was not immediately clear if more than eight people were on the plane.
Video from the scene posted to social media showed smoldering ruins after the plane crash.
🚨| Cuatro máquinas con 15 unidades del Cuerpo Oficial de Bomberos Medellín apoyan las labores de atención en la emergencia presentada en Belén Rosales, donde una avioneta cayó sobre una vivienda del sector. En el sitio también se encuentran bomberos aeronáuticos. pic.twitter.com/iizTb9RurS
— DAGRD - Medellín (@DAGRDMedellin) November 21, 2022
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Medellín Mayor Daniel Quintero said in a statement that the aircraft experienced "an engine failure" during takeoff.
"Unfortunately, the pilot was not able to keep the plane aloft and it crashed in this neighborhood," Quintero said. Seven homes were destroyed and six other buildings damaged, he said.
Firefighters were working to douse flames amid scattered tiles and collapsed brick walls.
The aircraft was traveling to the western department of Chocó.
Medellin lies in a narrow valley, surrounded by the Andes mountains.
In 2016, a plane carrying Brazil's Chapecoense football team ran out of fuel and crashed in the mountains near the city, killing 71 of the 77 people on board, including 16 players.
AFP contributed to this report.