BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt delivered heartbreaking news just minutes into Thursday's (January 29) live broadcast, revealing that a plane crash in Colombia had claimed the lives of all 15 people on board.
The aircraft, a Beechcraft 1900 operated by state-run airline Satena, crashed in a mountainous area of northern Colombia. The airline confirmed the 'fatal accident' and said contact was lost 11 minutes before the scheduled landing in Ocaña, near the Venezuelan border.
Among the victims were Diógenes Quintero, a 36-year-old congressman and human rights defender, and Carlos Salcedo, a social leader running for Congress. Colombia's Transportation Ministry confirmed there were no survivors, and an investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed his condolences on social media, stating he was 'deeply saddened' by the deaths. A hotline has been set up for relatives of those on board.
