Yeison Jiménez, a popular Colombian singer, was among six people killed Saturday in a plane crash on Saturday just hours before he was slated to perform.
He was 34.
According to reports, the singer-songwriter was traveling to Medellin when the crash occurred “in the sector between Paipa and Duitama.”
“With heavy hearts and a pain impossible to describe, the organization and team of Yeison Jiménez deeply regret to inform you of his passing,” a statement on his Instagram read. “Today we say goodbye not only to an artist; we say goodbye to a son, a brother, a friend, a human being full of dreams and courage, who transformed his story into hope for thousands of people. Yeison embodied perseverance, discipline, and love for his community. His voice and his example were born from hard work, and that is why they will forever mark the lives of those who followed and loved him.”
Five others killed in the crash — Jefferson Osorio, Juan Maneul Rodrigez, Oscar Marin and Weisman Mora — were all part of Jiménez’s team, according to Fox.
“To all the fans, colleagues, media outlets, and everyone who has supported Yeison throughout his career and during these difficult times: thank you for every message, every prayer, and all the love you are sending,” the statement on the singer’s Instagram read. “We are asking for understanding and respect for the families’ grief and for the privacy we need today to say goodbye with the dignity and affection he deserves.
“Yeison may be gone physically, but his legacy lives on: in his songs, in his words, in his struggles, in his refusal to give up, and in the indelible mark he leaves on Colombian regional music and in the hearts of his people,” it added. “His light will continue to shine on every time someone sings one of his songs and remembers that it is possible to overcome adversity.”
