At least 66 people have died after a Colombian military transport plane carrying 125 soldiers and crew members crashed shortly after takeoff early Monday, authorities confirmed. Dozens more were injured in the disaster.
The C-130 Hercules aircraft went down near Puerto Leguizamo, close to Colombia’s southern borders with Ecuador and Peru, scattering burning wreckage across the dense jungle.
A military source told AFP that the fatalities include 58 soldiers, six air force personnel, and two police officers. Initial reports had cited 33 deaths, with local authorities working to evacuate and treat the injured.
The crash occurred in a region that has seen intensified military operations in recent weeks, as Colombian and Ecuadorian forces target drug cartels and armed militias.
AFP images from the site showed civilians near the broken tail of the aircraft, marked FAC 1016, as smoke and flames rose above the treetops.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his “deep sorrow” over the tragedy, cautioning that the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
“It is a deeply painful event for the country. May our prayers bring some measure of comfort,” Sanchez said.
General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda confirmed that the plane was transporting 114 troops and 11 crew members on a routine flight from Puerto Leguizamo to a nearby Amazon outpost.
Local officials, including Putumayo Governor Jhon Gabriel Molina, noted that the small airport and challenging terrain have complicated rescue and evacuation efforts.
Witnesses described a sudden explosion as the aircraft attempted to gain altitude. Farmer Noe Mota recalled, “I felt an explosion in the air and, when I looked up, the plane was flying close to the house on my plot.”
President Gustavo Petro shared footage showing the plane struggling to climb before crashing, calling the incident a “horrific accident” and emphasizing the urgent need to modernize Colombia’s military fleet, though he did not directly link the crash to the aircraft’s condition.
This marks the second recent accident involving a C-130 Hercules in South America. On February 27, a Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed near La Paz, killing at least 24 people.
Renowned for its ability to operate from makeshift airstrips, the four-engine turboprop built by Lockheed Martin is widely used by militaries worldwide, highlighting the rarity but severity of such accidents.
About the Author
