BOGOTA – A Colombian military C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens more, authorities reported. The plane, carrying 125 soldiers and crew, went down near Puerto Leguizamo, close to the southern border with Ecuador and Peru, scattering burning wreckage across the jungle.
Officials confirmed that 58 soldiers, six air force personnel, and two police officers lost their lives. Dozens of others were injured and are receiving treatment following the crash. Investigators have launched a probe to determine the cause of the accident.
The region where the aircraft went down has seen intense military activity in recent weeks as Colombian and Ecuadorian forces conduct operations against drug cartels and armed militias. AFP images from the scene showed civilians navigating the wreckage, with smoke and flames rising above the treetops.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a “deeply painful event” for the country, while General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda noted that the plane was en route from Puerto Leguizamo to a nearby Amazon outpost.
Local authorities highlighted challenges in evacuating the injured and recovering the bodies due to the small airport and difficult terrain. Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion as the aircraft went down, with one farmer recounting seeing the plane flying unusually close to his property moments before the crash.
