Four Killed in Police Helicopter Crash in Colombia

Four police officers lost their lives this Thursday, February 22, in a Black Hawk helicopter crash in Colombia. The disaster occurred in the morning hours yesterday, in a rural and forested area of the department of Antioquia. Shortly before noon, authorities reported that contact was lost with a helicopter covering the route Caucasia-Medellin-Tulua (Valle del Cauca) and shortly afterwards it was learned that it had crashed. Finally, in the afternoon, it was confirmed that the four crew members of the aircraft, all police officers, had perished on impact.

General William Rene Salamanca, director of the National Police, stated in declarations to the press that there is still no hypothesis as to the cause of the accident, which occurred in Antioquia, and explained that “the weather conditions in the area are adverse”.

The causes are being investigated

The police chief explained that the causes of this event, which has brought mourning to the Colombian police force, are being investigated. The deceased officers were identified as Major Juan Morales, Captain Cesar Rodriguez and Deputy Superintendents Rafael Gonzalez and Feder Celis. Apparently, the aircraft crashed in the village of San Pablo, in the rural area of Caramanta (Antioquia), where the inhabitants felt a strong explosion.

Precisely because of the bad weather, the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC) had difficulties to reach the area of the accident, where firefighters were the first to arrive. After learning of the accident, the mayor of Caramanta stated that he had all the administration’s risk management capacity available to go to the site which, he added, is an area of difficult access due to the terrain, being located near the border between Caramanta and Támesis.

Yesterday’s plane crash is in addition to another incident that took place in the general area of the Binational military base Cuti Unguia (Choco), where four soldiers died and three more were wounded on February 5.

President Petro sent condolences to the families

Colombian President Gustavo Petro sent his condolences to the families of the four policemen who lost their lives. “My heartfelt condolences to the families of these men who were working for a better country,” the president wrote on his social networks.

Likewise, the Minister of Defense, Ivan Velasquez, regretted the event and indicated that they are at the forefront to provide the required attention.

Black Hawk helicopters

The UH-60 Black Hawk, a flagship military helicopter, stands out as a medium-lift machine with a robust design and advanced tactical capabilities. Equipped with two engines and a four-bladed rotor, this helicopter was the result of the 1972 U.S. Army UTTAS competition, where Sikorsky Aircraft presented its design, the Sikorsky S-70.

The prototype, known as the YUH-60A, outperformed its rival, the Boeing Vertol YUH-61, during evaluations and was chosen as the program winner in 1976. This selection marked the beginning of an era for the UH-60 Black Hawk in U.S. military service.

In 1978, the UH-60A entered active service with the U.S. Army, playing a crucial role in replacing the venerable UH-1 Iroquois, also known as the “Huey.” This transition marked a significant advance in the Army’s tactical transport capability, as the Black Hawk offered a combination of payload capacity, range and versatility that made it a valuable asset in a variety of operational situations.

The Black Hawk proved to be an essential addition in both military conflicts and humanitarian missions around the world. Its ability to transport troops, perform medical evacuations, conduct search and rescue operations, as well as support special operations, made it a staple of the U.S. military and many other allied nations. Today, these aircraft serve in countries such as Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Korea, in addition to Colombia and the United States.