All the 46 people aboard the Santa Barbara Airlines airplane died after the plane crashed on Thursday in Venezuela's Andean region, Venezuela's National Civil Protection Department reported on Friday.

The aircraft crashed against a 12,000 foot high mountain at Los Conejos moorland, some 10 kms from Carnevalli airport in Merida state, west of Venezuela.

Venezuela's National Civil Protection Department Director Antonio Rivero said 43 passengers and three crew members died in the crash.

Relatives of passengers on board a flight from the southern Venezuela city of Merida to Caracas reported missing wait at the the desk of Santa Barbara Airlines on Feb. 21 at the Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)

"The procedures to recover the bodies and the airplane remains are now being complied to determine what caused the accident," said Rivero.