Singer Yeison Jiménez Dies at 34 in Plane Crash

Colombian music star Yeison Jiménez, 34, a leading voice in the country's música popular scene, was killed in a plane crash Saturday. Authorities say the small aircraft, headed to Medellín, went down between the towns of Paipa and Duitama, killing all six people aboard, People reports. Civil aviation officials in Colombia confirmed the crash, and Jiménez's team later announced his death in a statement posted to his Instagram account. "Today, we not only say goodbye to an artist; we say goodbye to a son, a brother, a friend, a human being full of dreams and courage," the message says, calling him an inspiration to "thousands."

The plane reportedly crashed just after takeoff around 4pm local time. Also killed were Jefferson Osorio, Juan Manuel, Oscar Marín, Weisman Mora, and pilot Captain Fernando Torres. Mora, Jiménez's photographer, had posted a brief video from inside the cabin as the plane taxied before departure. A federal investigation of the crash has begun.

Jiménez was among Colombia's biggest contemporary artists, known for blending Mexican ranchera with Colombian influences. The genre dates back more than 50 years, per Billboard, and was popularized in small towns. He sold out Bogotá's Movistar Arena three times in 2024, becoming the first Colombian performer to do so, and then filled the city's El Campín Stadium in 2025. He had another performance at El Campín scheduled for March. Jiménez's survivors include his wife and three children.