CBS News
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.
The precise reason for the collision is still unknown. The aircraft had “an engine failure” during takeoff, according to Medelln Mayor Daniel Quintero.
Quintero said, “Unfortunately, the pilot was unable to maintain the plane at altitude, and it crashed in this neighborhood. According to him, six other buildings and seven homes were damaged.
In the midst of broken brick walls and scattered tiles, firefighters were battling flames.
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.
