Nine Colombian Soldiers Die in Northern Helicopter Crash During Gulf Clan Operations

On Monday, a Colombian army helicopter carrying provisions for soldiers crashed in a rural area located in northern Colombia, resulting in the tragic loss of nine military personnel aboard. The incident occurred as the aircraft transported supplies to Santa Rosa del Sur municipality, an area that has witnessed recent confrontations between guerrilla group National Liberation Army (ELN) and drug cartel Gulf Clan. According to a statement released by Colombia’s armed forces, this unfortunate event was deemed an accident. President Gustavo Petro expressed his condolences via Twitter, stating: “I mourn the death of the nine passengers on board the army’s helicopter that supplied troops conducting operations against the Gulf Clan.” The Mi-17 Russian military transport helicopters typically deployed to convey troops and goods were involved in this mishap. Amongst those who perished included two officers, three privates, as well as two sergeants; unfortunately, none of them survived the crash that transpired approximately at 1:50 PM (local time) on Monday.