What happened
A charter flight operating between Mérida and Caracas struck a mountain slope in the Páramo Las Siete Lagunas region. The aircraft was transporting a group of 27 students from San José College of Mérida along with one teacher.
The flight departed at 12:13 local time. Approximately six minutes after takeoff, the captain notified ground control that the flight was navigating through the Chama Valley. While cruising at an altitude of 2,800 meters, roughly thirty minutes after departure, the aircraft collided with terrain approximately 70 km northeast of Mérida Airport.
Search efforts located the wreckage later that afternoon. The accident resulted in 31 fatalities, leaving no survivors among the passengers or the crew.
Findings
- The aircraft impacted a mountain slope during the cruise phase of flight.
- The collision occurred at an altitude of 2,800 meters.