Image credit, Daniel Ortiz / AFP via Getty Image
Reading time: 3 minutes
At least 66 people have been confirmed dead following the crash of a Colombian Air Force plane. Dozens more have been injured in the incident.
According to Air Force Commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda, the aircraft carried a total of 114 military personnel and 11 crew members.
The US-manufactured C-130 Hercules plane crashed near Puerto Leguízamo in the southern region of Colombia.
Rescue teams have arrived at the scene and are searching the wreckage for survivors. An investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the plane had taken off from Puerto Leguízamo carrying military personnel and that the crash is a “tragic accident.” The crash site is close to the Peruvian border.
Sánchez also stated that after the crash, the plane caught fire, which caused ammunition onboard to explode.
A military source confirmed that among the dead were 58 soldiers, 6 Air Force personnel, and 2 police officers.
Multiple military sources have corroborated the death toll of 66 from the accident.
In a related event, a passenger plane crashed in northern Colombia in January, resulting in the deaths of all 15 passengers onboard.
Presidential Remarks
Image credit, Shutterstock/EPA
This crash stands as one of the most serious incidents the Colombian Air Force has faced in recent years.
Local media have released images showing smoke rising at the crash site and trucks transporting soldiers to the location.
Some news websites have also published videos showing local residents transporting injured soldiers on motorcycles to hospitals.
President Gustavo Petro wrote on social media platform X, “This tragic accident should not have happened.”
In a lengthy post, he accused administrative issues of hindering efforts to modernize the military’s equipment and aircraft.
“I will not allow further delays because the lives of our young people are at risk,” he added without revealing further details about the cause of the crash.
Last month, a similar model of the C-130 Hercules military plane crashed in Bolivia, killing at least 20 people. That aircraft was being used to transport cash.
We also publish content on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch other videos, please click here.
