With profound sorrow, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) confirms that our colleague Maira Alejandra Avendaño Rincón was travelling on flight NSE 8849, which crashed on the Cúcuta-Ocaña route, north-east Colombia, on Wednesday 28 January.
“I am deeply saddened by this tragic loss of valued colleague and friend, Maira Alejandra Avendaño Rincón. The entire global NRC-family is mourning,” said Jan Egeland, NRC Secretary General.
“We express our condolences to Maira's family and to all the families of the victims of this accident, including the relative of our NRC colleague Francisco Barbosa and humanitarian personnel from World Vision. Maira was an extremely valued and respected colleague, both in NRC and throughout the humanitarian sector. Her loss will be profoundly felt.”
Maira served as NRC’s protection coordinator in the north-east region, working to support victims of armed conflict.
We are aware of the significant impact this accident has on our colleagues, the humanitarian community, and the people Maira served through her protection work. We are in close in contact with Maira's family, the airline, and the Unified Command Post to implement the measures and actions that this serious and difficult situation requires.
About Maira
Maira was an exceptional lawyer, a graduate of the Universidad Popular del Cesar, and a specialist in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. She joined NRC in 2015, initially as part of a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) project. There, she worked tirelessly to prevent abuses and protect survivors of the armed conflict.
Owing to her discipline, integrity, and unwavering commitment, she was appointed Coordinator for NRC’s Protection from Violence programme in north-eastern Colombia in 2021. In this role, she led crucial efforts to protect refugees, migrants, and victims of conflict across Norte de Santander, Arauca, Cesar, La Guajira, and Magdalena; however, the impact of her work and dedication was felt throughout NRC’s entire Colombian operation.
To her colleagues, Maira was more than a brilliant, analytical leader; she was a generous teammate, always ready to teach and to listen with respect. She was known for her close connection to the people we serve, possessing a deep empathy for the suffering of those displaced. She distinguished herself by her relentless pursuit of solutions for those in greatest need.
Maira firmly believed she was born to serve. Her passing leaves a profound void within NRC and across the wider humanitarian sector. Her legacy of selflessness and service remains an extraordinary example of what it means to be a humanitarian worker, and she will continue to inspire and guide our mission.
For more information, please contact:
- NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329
- Ana Milena Ayala Sanchez, advocacy and communication officer in Colombia: ana.ayala@nrc.no, +57 3232746021