Published May 20, 2015
BOGOTA, Colombia – A small plane from Venezuela with
more than a ton of cocaine on board has crashed into the Caribbean while being
pursued by Colombia's air force.
Video released by the air force shows how fighter jets
intercepted the Hawker 800 aircraft after it entered Colombia's air space
Wednesday and ordered it to descend. After the pilot moved to escape, one of
the plane's motors apparently failed and the aircraft crashed off the coast of
Puerto Colombia.
Colombia's coast guard says the body of the pilot, whose
nationality was unknown, was found among the wreckage along with 1.2 metric
tons of cocaine.
Venezuela has become a key transit country for narcotics.
Much of the cocaine moves north to Central America on a dog-legged path to
avoid entering Colombian airspace.
Date:
|
20-MAY-2015
|
Time:
|
Morning
|
Type:
|
Beechcraft Hawker BH.125
|
Owner/operator:
|
|
Registration:
|
|
C/n / msn:
|
|
Fatalities:
|
Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
|
Other fatalities:
|
0
|
Airplane damage:
|
Written off (damaged beyond repair)
|
Location:
|
Caribbean Sea off Puerto Colombia -
Colombia
|
Phase:
|
Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
|
Nature:
|
Illegal Flight
|
Departure airport:
|
Venezuela
|
Destination airport:
|
Central America
|
Narrative:
The aircraft transporting a cargo of cocaine impacted the waters of the Caribbean Sea after an inception by the Air Force of Colombia. The airplane was apparently destroyed and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.
The aircraft transporting a cargo of cocaine impacted the waters of the Caribbean Sea after an inception by the Air Force of Colombia. The airplane was apparently destroyed and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.
Sources:
http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=176257
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/05/20/plane-from-venezuela-carrying-more-than-ton-cocaine-crashes-off-colombia-coast/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/20/us-colombia-drugs-idUSKBN0O52L320150520
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/21/plane-carrying-tonne-of-cocaine-crashes-during-chase-by-colombian-air-force