Buenos Aires, April 30 (IANS/DPA): All nine occupants of a military helicopter that crashed in northern Colombia have died, the South American country's army said.

The Mi-17 helicopter crashed near the town of Arenal del Sur in the department of Bolivar in northern Colombia, the military said on Monday.

"I regret the death of the nine soldiers in the military helicopter that was supposed to supply troops in the fight against the Clan del Golfo in the south of Bolívar," wrote Colombian President Gustavo Petro on social media platform X.

The Clan del Golfo (Gulf Clan) is the most powerful criminal organisation in Colombia. The crime syndicate recruits its members primarily from former right-wing paramilitaries and is said to have around 6,000 men under arms.

In addition to drug trafficking, the organisation is involved in illegal mining and protection rackets and is responsible for numerous murders and dispossessions, Last year, the former head of the cartel, Dairo Antonio Usuga, commonly known as Otoniel, was sentenced to 45 years in prison in the US.