What happened
On 21 February 2008, a scheduled domestic flight operated by Santa Bárbara Airlines, identified as Flight 518, crashed during the initial climb phase of its journey. The aircraft, an ATR 42–300 with registration YV1449, was traveling from Mérida, Venezuela, toward Caracas. Shortly after departing from its origin, the plane struck the side of a mountain. The wreckage was located by search teams the following day. There were 43 fatalities among the passengers and crew, with 0 survivors recorded from the flight.
Investigation
Following the impact, authorities searched the crash site to recover the remains of the aircraft and those on board. The incident remains one of the most significant aviation disasters in the region's history.