On November 27, 1989, a Boeing 727 from Avianca, registration HK 1803, took off from the Puente Aéreo terminal in Bogotá, bound for Cali. On board were six crew members and 101 passengers. Minutes after takeoff, a bomb planted by the Medellín Cartel exploded mid-flight, disintegrating the aircraft over Cerro de Canoas. The attack killed all 107 people on board.
Among those who did not board was Diego Bermúdez, a young flight attendant who was saved by a last-minute administrative decision. Diego had four years of experience with the company and, that morning, had already completed the pre-flight technical check and assigned the emergency exits, preparing for takeoff.
Suddenly, a ground supervisor and flight attendant Rita Elisa Galvis appeared in the cockpit. They urgently informed Diego that he needed to disembark. The company prioritized his senior colleague Rita, who needed to make that trip for personal reasons. Diego obeyed the order and left the plane, being replaced by Rita.
