Colombian Music Star Yeison Jiménez Killed in Crash

The international music community is in mourning following the tragic death of the renowned Colombian singer and songwriter, Yeison Jiménez, who perished in a light aircraft accident on Saturday, 10 January 2026. The 34-year-old artist was among six individuals who lost their lives when a private charter flight crashed shortly after take-off in the Boyacá province of central-eastern Colombia.

The Fatal Sequence of Events

According to reports from Colombia One, the aircraft was en route to Medellín, where Jiménez was scheduled to prepare for a highly anticipated concert in Marinilla on Sunday evening. The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the incident occurred in the rural expanse between the municipalities of Paipa and Duitama.

Eyewitness accounts and chilling footage circulating on social media depict the small aircraft taxying along the runway at the Juan José Rondón Airport in Paipa just moments before the disaster. Preliminary findings suggest that the pilot lost control at the very end of the runway during the ascent phase, causing the vessel to plummet into the surrounding terrain.

Casualties and Emergency Response

The wreckage was quickly swarmed by emergency services and local police. While six passengers, including Jiménez, were declared dead at the scene, five others survived the initial impact and were rushed to nearby medical facilities with varying degrees of injury. The local health department has described the condition of two survivors as "critical but stable."

Table: Details of the Paipa Aviation Disaster (10 Jan 2026)

A Cultural Icon Lost

Yeison Jiménez was a titan of the música popular genre, beloved for his soulful voice and lyrics that resonated with the working-class heart of Colombia. His sudden passing has triggered a massive outpouring of grief across Latin America. Fellow artists, politicians, and millions of fans have taken to digital platforms to pay tribute to a man who rose from humble beginnings to become a global ambassador for Colombian folk and popular music.

Official Investigation Underway

The Civil Aviation Authority’s Technical Directorate for Accident Investigation has arrived on-site to begin the arduous process of recovering flight data and examining the wreckage for mechanical anomalies. While the exact cause remains unconfirmed, investigators are reportedly scrutinising engine performance and weight distribution as potential factors in the loss of control at the runway's threshold.

As the nation observes a period of unofficial mourning, the concert in Marinilla has been cancelled, with fans instead gathering at the venue to hold a candlelit vigil in memory of their fallen idol.