At least 11 Colombian Air Force personnel were killed when a military plane crashed north of capital Bogota on Friday, officials said.

A CASA-235 military transport aircraft with registration FAC 1261 reported an engine failure before crashing in Agustin Codazzi municipality in Cesar province, about 370 miles north of the Colombian capital, the Air Force said in a statement, according to Latin America Herald Tribune.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos expressed regret over the deadly accident and described the victims as heroes.

"We regret the terrible plane accident... which has claimed the lives of 12 heroes of the Colombian airforce," Santos said in a Twitter message, according to Agence France-Presse.

"My heart is heavy with pain for the loss of these heroes who in fulfillment of their constitutional mandate have now flown much higher to join the heavenly squadron alongside the almighty," he said in a brief statement, Press TV reported.

The air force announced an investigation into the crash, and the army cordoned off the entire sector, Press Latina reported.

Airbus, the manufacturer of the CN235 aircraft, has issued a statement after the crash. "The CN235-200M was delivered in 1998 from the final assembly line in Seville (Spain) in a military transport configuration," Airbus Defence and Space said in statement. 

"The thoughts of the company and its employees are with those affected by this accident," the firm added.

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