Colombian military helicopter crashes, kills 4 in Quibdó area of Chocó

2023-03-20

Terrifying moment Columbian military helicopter spins out of control mid-air and crashes – killing four army members on board: President Petro leads tributes and launches probe

A Colombian military helicopter crashed Sunday and killed four people
President Gustavo Petro confirmed the deaths and the identities of the four people killed in a tweet Sunday afternoon sending their families condolences
Shocking video of the helicopter going down has been circling social media

A Colombian military helicopter carrying four service members went down Sunday afternoon killing all individuals on board, President Gustavo Petro confirmed.

Horrifying video posted to social media on Sunday shows the moments the helicopter falls from the sky and into the trees in the Quibdó area in Chocó.

The officers on board who were later identified by the country’s leader were doing supply work in the area when the aircraft went down due to unknown reasons.

‘It is with sadness that I am sorry to report that there were no survivors in the plane crash in Quibdó,’ President Petro tweeted out.

‘I accompany the families of the CT. Hector Jerez, TE. Julieth Garcia, SS. Johan Orozco and SS. Ruben Leguizamon in this painful moment. We will not leave them alone,’ he said in a translated tweet.

A Colombian military helicopter carrying four service members went down Sunday afternoon killing all individuals on board, President Gustavo Petro confirmed

These are the four Colombian military members killed in the helicopter crash Sunday. Julieth Garcia (top left), Johan Orozco (top right), Hector Jerez (bottom left), and Ruben Leguizamon (bottom right)

According to Colombian outlet Vanguardia, the Public Force helicopter crashed around 4pm as the aircraft was flying over the residential area.

President Petro confirmed shocking video of the crash on Twitter, telling his nearly seven million followers he had authorized police to move into the area.

‘A few minutes ago, an Army helicopter crashed in Quibdó while carrying out supply tasks,’ Petro wrote.

‘I have given the order to the authorities to move immediately to the area to deal with the emergency and investigate the causes of what happened,’ he continued.

Less than an hour and a half later, President Petro shared the news of the deaths and the names of those killed while offering their family his thoughts.

After the crash, Petro ordered local authorities to continue their investigations.

In one video posted to social media Sunday afternoon, the helicopter is seen falling from the sky as the aircraft spins.

Another view of the incident shows residents nearby watching in shock and horror as the helicopter falls to the ground.

Commander of the Titán Joint Task Force Hector Alfonso Candelario told local press outlets that the crash was a ‘tragic accident.’

According to Candelario, the aircraft was ‘totally incinerated’ after hitting the ground. Two bodies were immediately found while officials looked for the other two Army members.

Julieth Garcia was one of the four National Army members killed Sunday in a helicopter crash

Another view of the incident shows residents nearby watching in shock and horror as the helicopter falls to the ground

Among those killed in the crash was Héctor Mauricio Jerez Ochoa, a National Army pilot from Bumangues.

Ochoa’s photo was first shared by Vanguardia late Sunday afternoon.

Just hours later, Julieth Garcia’s photo was shared by Colombian magazine Semana.

According to the outlet, Garcia was the first woman of her rank and stature in the Colombian National Army to fly a UH 1N helicopter.

The woman was a native of Cúcuta, Norte de Santande and was especially skilled in advanced combat, skydiving, and communication.

Little information has been released about Johan Orozco and Ruben Leguizamon at this time.

Farlin Perea Rentería, the governor in charge of Chocó, said in a message Sunday she is sending her support to ‘the relatives and friends of the members of the Colombian Army who were part of the supply work in the department.’

She also said she is ‘supporting the pertinent investigations into the event that occurred today in Quibdó.’

This is a developing story. DailyMail.com will continue to update as more information becomes available.

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