In a rural area of northern Colombia, tragedy struck as an army helicopter, en route with vital supplies for troops, tragically crashed, claiming the lives of nine soldiers aboard. The Colombian armed forces confirmed the incident, stating that the helicopter was bound for the municipality of Santa Rosa del Sur, an area recently embroiled in conflict between the National Liberation Army guerrilla group and the Gulf Clan drug trafficking organization.

Described as an accident by military officials, the crash elicited condolences from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who expressed sorrow for the loss of the nine passengers. The helicopter was engaged in supplying troops involved in operations against the Gulf Clan.

The crash occurred at approximately 1:50 pm local time and involved an MI-17 Russian-built chopper, commonly utilized for troop transport and logistical operations. Among the casualties were two officers, two sergeants, and three privates, with no survivors among the helicopter’s occupants.