BOGOTA: Officials in Colombia say a Colombian air force helicopter has crashed near the Caribbean coast and all 13 people aboard have been killed.
Atlantico state civil defence director Jorge Fernandez says the aircraft crashed in a field in a rural area of the town of Sabanagrande.
Two officials who spoke on condition they not be further identified put the death toll at 13. Both say they were not authorised to disclose the number.
They say that the aircraft caught fire as it fell to the ground and that police and air force personnel were aboard.
Colombia’s air force says on its website that the Bell 212 helicopter crashed at 4:30 pm and that the incident is under investigation.