Plane crash kills 2 on set of Tom Cruise film in Colombia

Colombian authorities confirmed Saturday that a light aircraft crashed Friday afternoon in the northern department of Antioquia, killing an American and Colombian while leaving a second American injured.

The victims were part of the crew on "Mena", a new movie starring Tom Cruise, currently being shot in Colombia.

"A two engine Piper PA-60 aircraft ... crashed in the municipality of San Pedro de los Milagros in Antioquia on Friday at 17:30. Local sources confirm two killed and one injured," Colombia's civil aviation authority said in a statement.

The airplane was en route from the tourist city of Santa Fe de Antioquia to Medellin. It also appears the plane had previously been piloted by Cruise, a trained pilot, in some of the country's mountain regions and the Amazon rainforest.

The dead were named as Alan David Purwin and Carlos Brel, while Jimmy Lee Garland was injured. The victims were all taken to Medellin, where Garland is currently being treated.

A statement by Universal Studios said "further details are not available at this time. On behalf of the production, our hearts and prayers go out to the crew members and their families at this difficult time."

Purwin was the founder of Helinet Technologies, which supplies government agencies with aerial surveillance equipment. However, he had also worked extensively on films prior to "Mena), including "Transformers", "Pearl Harbour" and "Pirates of the Caribbean".

"Mena" is based on the life of U.S. pilot Barry Seal who used to work for Pablo Escobar, leader of the Medellin drug cartel. Cruise arrived in Colombia with his film crew on Aug. 20 to begin production.

Source: XINHUA