Colombian Military Transport Plane Crashes, Killing at Least 66
The crash of the Colombian C-130 Hercules resulted in at least 66 fatalities and multiple injuries, prompting ongoing rescue and investigative operations.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - At least 66 people were killed and dozens injured when a Colombian military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguizamo near the southern border with Ecuador and Peru on Monday, officials said, AFP reported.
The C-130 Hercules aircraft, carrying 125 soldiers and crew members, went down in a jungle area, scattering burning wreckage, the Colombian military reported. A military source confirmed to AFP that 58 soldiers, six air force personnel, and two police officers died in the crash. Initial reports by the local government had placed the death toll at 33, while authorities worked to evacuate the injured.
“The airport is small and there are several difficulties” hindering the rescue operation, Jhon Gabriel Molina, governor of the Putamayo region, said in a Facebook video. Colombian President Gustavo Petro described the incident on X as a “horrific accident” and emphasized the need to modernize military equipment.
Investigators are examining the cause of the crash. The aircraft, marked FAC 1016, was transporting troops from Puerto Leguizamo to an Amazon outpost, General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda said. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing the plane descend rapidly before striking the jungle floor. AFP images from the site showed smoke and flames rising from the wreckage, with civilians at the scene attempting to assist.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his “deep sorrow” over the disaster, noting that it was too early to determine the cause of the crash. The region has seen heavy military activity in recent weeks as Colombian and Ecuadoran forces have targeted drug-trafficking cartels and militias.
The C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop aircraft widely used by militaries for operations in remote areas, including takeoffs from improvised airstrips. This crash follows a similar incident in South America last month, when a Bolivian military cargo plane crashed near La Paz on February 27, leaving at least 24 dead.
Emergency and military personnel continue recovery efforts at the crash site, prioritizing treatment and evacuation of injured personnel while investigating the circumstances of the accident.