A Colombian military helicopter carrying four soldiers crashed Sunday afternoon, killing all on board, President Gustavo Petro confirmed.
Horrifying video posted on social media on Sunday shows the moments when the helicopter falls from the sky into the trees in the Quibdó area of Chocó.
The officers on board, who were later identified by the country’s leader, were engaged in supply work in the area when the plane crashed for unknown reasons.
“I’m sorry to report that there were no survivors in the plane crash in Quibdó,” President Petro tweeted.
“I accompany the families of the CT. Hector Jerez, TE. Julieth Garcia, SS. Johan Orozco and SS. Ruben Leguizamon in this painful moment. We won’t leave them alone,” he said in a translated tweet.
A Colombian military helicopter carrying four soldiers crashed Sunday afternoon, killing all on board, President Gustavo Petro confirmed
These are the four Colombian soldiers who died in the helicopter crash on Sunday. Julieth Garcia (top left), Johan Orozco (top right), Hector Jerez (bottom left) and Ruben Leguizamon (bottom right)
According to the Colombian outlet Vanguardiathe Public Force helicopter crashed around 4 p.m. as the plane flew over the residential area.
President Petro confirmed a shocking video of the crash on Twitter and told his nearly seven million followers that he had authorized police to enter the area.
“A few minutes ago, an army helicopter crashed in Quibdó while performing supply duties,” Petro wrote.
“I have ordered the authorities to immediately go 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 dead and the names of the dead, expressing his thoughts to their families.
After the crash, Petro ordered local authorities to continue their investigation.
A video posted to social media on Sunday afternoon shows the helicopter falling from the sky as the plane rotates.
Another image of the incident shows nearby residents watching in shock and horror as the helicopter falls to the ground.
Commander of the Titan Joint Task Force Hector Alfonso Candelario told local news agencies that the crash was a ‘tragic accident’.
According to Candelario, the plane was “totally burned” after it hit the ground. Two bodies were immediately found while officials searched for the other two army members.
Julieth Garcia was one of four National Army members killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday
Another image of the incident shows nearby residents 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 on Sunday afternoon.
A few hours later, Julieth Garcia’s photo was shared by the Colombian magazine Semana.
According to the outlet, Garcia was the first woman of her rank and status in the Colombian National Army to pilot a UH 1N helicopter.
The woman was originally from Cúcuta, Norte de Santande and was especially skilled in advanced combat, parachuting and communication.
Little information has been released about Johan Orozco and Ruben Leguizamon at this time.
Farlin Perea Rentería, the governor of Chocó, said in a message on Sunday that she expresses her support for “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 “supports the relevant investigations into the event that happened today in Quibdó.”
This is an evolving story. DailyMail.com will continue to update as more information becomes available.
.