Guerrilla group FARC claimed it has shot down a Colombian Air Force Super Tucano aircraft over the southwestern Cauca department on Wednesday evening.
According to Colombian radio station Caracol, the aircraft was shot down over the Jambolo municipality during a military offensive against FARC rebels in the area. Both of the two crew members are believed to have died in the crash.
A man who identified himself as member of the FARC’s Jacobo Arenas column told local media Wednesday night that the corpses of the two crew members could be found at the site of the crash.
On Thursday morning however representatives from the International Red Cross said FARC guerrillas had contacted them regarding a potential turnover of one of the crew members, but did not specify if the member was dead or alive.
A Colombian Air Force representative, speaking to Caracol on Thursday morning, said it was “not likely” the aircraft would have been shot down by FARC guerrillas, only to be contradicted by Commander Tito Pinilla, who later said to El Espectador that a FARC attack “could not be ruled out.” Pinilla said he did not know whether the two crew members were alive or not.
According to Caracol, a local police commander was wounded Wednesday night while on a mission to recover the bodies and the wreck.