WILLEMSTAD – More than four years after Colombian pilot Guillermo Andrés Cortés Núñez disappeared following a flight from Curaçao, questions surrounding his fate remain unanswered. His family continues searching for information about what happened to him, while conflicting reports about the movements of an aircraft linked to the case have never been publicly resolved.
The disappearance, which attracted attention in Curaçao, Bonaire, and Colombia in 2022, has largely faded from public discussion. However, a renewed appeal received by Curaçao Chronicle from Colombia serves as a reminder that, for those waiting for answers, the case is far from forgotten.
Emmanuel Aguirre, a resident of Santa Marta, Colombia, recently contacted Curaçao Chronicle after previously corresponding with the newspaper in January 2023.
He asked whether any new information had emerged concerning Cortés Núñez, whether the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard had issued further statements, or whether anything had become known about aircraft N7320D.
"The family is still seeking closure," Aguirre wrote, asking for guidance on where official records could be requested in Curaçao.
His message has renewed attention to a disappearance that remains surrounded by unanswered questions.
Last Contact With Family in June 2022
Cortés Núñez, a 23-year-old commercial pilot from Santa Marta, Colombia, had traveled to Curaçao in search of employment opportunities in aviation.
According to Colombian media reports published at the time, he had been seeking work after experiencing difficulties finding employment in his home country. He specialized in agricultural aviation and reportedly told relatives that he was undergoing flight evaluations and exploring opportunities to operate private aircraft in the Caribbean.
During his stay, he sent photographs and videos of aircraft and airport facilities to his family. However, his relatives later said they had difficulty establishing precisely where he was working and for whom.
On June 10, 2022, Guillermo sent what would become his last known message to his parents through WhatsApp.
He told them not to worry because he was going flying and would contact them when he returned.
That promised communication never came.
His parents, Omar Cortés and Martha Núñez, subsequently began searching for information about their son's whereabouts, contacting authorities and seeking assistance from the media.
Conflicting Accounts of Aircraft Movements
The case became more complicated when questions emerged about Guillermo's movements between Curaçao, Bonaire, and other destinations.
In August 2022, Curaçao Chronicle reported information indicating that the pilot had departed Curaçao for Bonaire on May 27.
Subsequent information attributed to Bonaire police suggested that he had continued his journey toward Colombia that same day.
Other reports raised questions about whether an aircraft associated with the case, registered N7320D, had followed its reported flight plan or traveled elsewhere.
The aircraft registration is associated with a Beech 60 Duke, a twin-engine private aircraft. However, publicly accessible flight-tracking information does not establish its movements during the period in question.
The distinction between the reported May 27 flight and Guillermo's last communication on June 10 remains important. The available information does not establish where he was during the intervening period or whether the aircraft's movements were directly connected to his disappearance.
No publicly verified account has established what ultimately happened to the young pilot.
Colombian Court Records Reveal Investigation
Although little new information has appeared in the media, a Colombian Supreme Court ruling dated January 31, 2023, provides evidence of formal legal proceedings connected to the disappearance.
The ruling, identified as STP1635-2023, concerned efforts by Guillermo's father to obtain access to investigative procedures.
According to the judicial record, a criminal complaint involving suspected enforced disappearance had been filed on June 28, 2022.
The investigation was assigned at that time to Fiscalía 409 Especializada de Bogotá, under case number 470016001020202200441.
The proceedings addressed requests for information from telecommunications companies, immigration authorities, financial institutions, and airlines.
The court ruling did not determine what happened to Guillermo or establish that a criminal offense had occurred. It documented the legal dispute concerning investigative access and procedures.
The current status of the Colombian investigation could not be independently established from the publicly available information reviewed by Curaçao Chronicle.
Family Continues Searching for Closure
In his latest correspondence with Curaçao Chronicle, Aguirre referred to the newspaper's earlier reporting and asked whether any additional information had reached the newsroom since January 2023.
At that time, the newspaper had informed him that no further information was available and that attempts to contact the family had been unsuccessful.
More than three years after that exchange, Aguirre's renewed inquiry shows that the search for answers continues.
For Guillermo's relatives, the central questions remain unchanged: Where did he go after his reported movements through Curaçao and Bonaire? Who was he working with? What happened after his final message on June 10? And did investigators establish what became of the aircraft associated with the case?
Those questions have not been answered in the publicly available records reviewed for this update.
Renewed Appeal for Information
Curaçao Chronicle is bringing renewed attention to the disappearance in the hope that someone with knowledge of the events in May or June 2022 may be able to provide information to the appropriate authorities.
People who worked in aviation in Curaçao or Bonaire during that period, particularly those who may have encountered Guillermo Cortés Núñez or have knowledge of aircraft N7320D, could potentially possess information relevant to the investigation.
Any such information should be reported to the police or the authorities responsible for investigating the disappearance.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard, Bonaire police, and the relevant civil aviation authorities may also be able to clarify whether historical incident reports, flight plans, or other official records remain available.
Curaçao Chronicle has not independently confirmed whether these authorities are currently conducting an active investigation or whether any new findings have been recorded since 2023.
For the family, however, the passage of time has not diminished the importance of finding out what happened.
Guillermo Andrés Cortés Núñez was 23 years old when he disappeared. Today, more than four years later, his disappearance remains an unresolved chapter for those who knew him.
The renewed appeal is a reminder that behind every missing-person report is a family still waiting for answers.
Curaçao Chronicle welcomes credible information that could help clarify the circumstances of his disappearance. Anyone with relevant knowledge can contact the newsroom at info@curacaochronicle.com or provide information directly to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
Photo of Colombian pilot Guillermo Andrés Cortés Núñez, published by the Colombian news outlet Semana in its 2022 coverage of his disappearance.