Colombia helicopter crash kills 13 (VIDEO)

A Colombia helicopter crashed today, killing all onboard, including seven members of the Colombian Air Force and six police officers.

"We regret the accident of the Air Force helicopter crash," President Juan Manuel Santos said in a message posted on his official twitter account. "Our condolences to the families of the patriotic heroes who died in this accident."

The crash took place at 4:30 p.m. local time in Sabanagrande, near Colombia's Caribbean coast, according to CNN. The Colombian Air Force said that the Bell 212 helicopter went down during a transportation mission from Barranquilla to Caucasia.

More from GlobalPost: Journalists missing and killed in Latin America

Sky News reported that the helicopter was being flown by pilot Major Jorge Abel Cardona Garcia and co-pilot 2nd Lieutenant Hector Alejandro Vega Cuevas.

Officials said the helicopter caught fire as it fell to the ground, according to the Associated Press.

Air Force investigators were sent to the location of the crash to determine the cause of the accident, said Colombia Reports.

Local station Caracol TV broadcast an amateur cellphone video of the aftermath of the crash, showing dozens of people standing around the downed helicopter, which was covered in flames and billowing smoke.

More from GlobalPost: Roméo Langlois: French journalist shot in left arm, FARC responsible for his life (VIDEO)