At Least 66 Dead, Dozens Injured After Colombian Military Plane Crash

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: At least 66 people were killed after a Colombian military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the south of Colombia, officials said.

The aircraft, a U.S.-made Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, was carrying 114 army personnel and 11 crew members when it went down near Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province, close to the border with Peru.

Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda said emergency teams were deployed to the crash site, where rescuers searched through wreckage for survivors.

Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez described the incident as a “tragic accident” that occurred during takeoff while transporting troops.

Authorities said a fire on board triggered explosions of ammunition being carried by the aircraft, contributing to the high death toll. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Local media images showed thick smoke rising from the crash site, while residents and emergency responders transported injured survivors to nearby health facilities.

President Gustavo Petro called the crash “horrendous” and suggested delays in modernising military equipment may have contributed to safety risks.

The incident is among the deadliest in recent years for Colombia’s air force and comes weeks after another C-130 crash in Bolivia that killed at least 20 people.

By Agencies.