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LA URIBE, Colombia, May 11 (UPI) -- Four Colombian military personnel died and two were injured after a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed near the town of La Uribe, Colombia, on Sunday. The helicopter crashed in the Colombian state of Meta due to apparent mechanical failure.
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"In the afternoon there was an [Army] helicopter crash in the jurisdiction of Meta apparently by mechanical failure," Colombia's Ministry of Defense said.
The deceased have been identified as helicopter pilot Capt. Fabián Villamarín Santamaría, Cpl. Cristián Torres Rodríguez and soldiers Jaime Romero Peña y Freddy Díaz García.
The injured Lt. Alexander Carreño Morales and First Cpl. Diego Montaña Fandiño were transported to the Villavicencio Military Hospital for treatment.
The helicopter crashed in an area historically dominated by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as FARC.
More than 220,000 people have died in the Colombian conflict since the FARC's founding in 1964.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos sent a tweet, expressing his condolences.
Lamentamos muerte de 4 integrantes de nuestro ejército en accidente de helicóptero en el Meta.Nuestras profundas condolencias a sus familias
Advertisement— Juan Manuel Santos (@JuanManSantos) May 11, 2015"We lament the deaths of four members of our army in a helicopter accident in Meta. Our profound condolences to their families," Santos tweeted.
