Venezuelan aircraft confirmed to have landed in Cúcuta had authorization from Aerocivil

Norbey Rodriguez @norveyrodriguez

San José de Cúcuta, September 20, 2024.- The President of Colombia; Gustavo Petro confirmed this Friday through a letter from Aerocivil that the Venezuelan aircraft that landed in Cúcuta had authorization.

The letter states that the aircraft has the proper authorization from the Colombian civil aviation authority, Aerocivil, and indicates that “in accordance with the Chicago Convention, The right to make technical stops in Colombian territory is recognizedas well as the use of airfields in emergency situations, as is the current case, resulting from a circumstance of confusion between nearby runways.”

Aerocivil reported that Colombia’s Aeronautical Regulations allow international aircraft to remain in its territory for a period of up to 48 hours, and national authorities must provide adequate means of assistance, even allowing the owners or the Authorities of the State in which the aircraft is registered to provide the means that the circumstance demands, with due coordination based on the fact that Colombia, as a signatory of the Chicago Convention, must provide assistance to aircraft in distress in its territory.

Busy flight schedule

It was the first flight of the day for the aircraft, which has been very active in the last year in different border towns. According to the flight itinerary, the aircraft left at 6:38 am Venezuelan time from near Maiquetía and landed in Cúcuta, at the Camilo Daza International Airport, at 6:58 am Colombian time, with a flight duration of one hour and 20 minutes.

On Tuesday, September 17, the aircraft was in three towns in Venezuela; it reportedly flew over Maracay, Valera and to an unknown destination near the town of El Vigía, next to the border.

On Thursday, September 12, it was on Margarita Island, and in the month of September it shows a lot of movement to other towns.

The YV3226 aircraft, belonging to the Venezuelan Government, has made 275 flights in 2024, higher than the 125 flights it made in 2023 and the 75 flights in 2022. In 2020 and 2021, it made 50 flights each year.