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Colombia Military Plane Crash Kills 66
A Colombian military Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules crashed during takeoff near Puerto Leguizamo, killing 66 people and leaving dozens injured as rescue operations continued.
Plane on ground photo by Unsplash
A military transport aircraft crashed during takeoff in southern Colombia on Monday, leaving 66 people dead and dozens injured, as rescue teams continued searching for four individuals still unaccounted for, officials said.
The aircraft, a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, was carrying 128 people, including 11 Air Force personnel, 115 army troops, and two national police officers, according to armed forces chief Hugo Alejandro Lopez. Authorities revised the death toll upward as recovery efforts progressed at the crash site.
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The incident occurred shortly after the plane departed from Puerto Leguizamo, near the border with Peru. Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said the aircraft appeared to have suffered an impact near the end of the runway during takeoff.
Firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas reported that one of the aircraft’s wings struck a tree as it descended, before crashing and erupting into flames. The fire triggered explosions believed to be caused by equipment or materials on board.
Local residents in the remote region were the first to respond, transporting injured survivors on motorcycles before emergency services arrived. Rescue operations were complicated by difficult terrain, slowing access to the crash site.
Officials said 57 survivors had been hospitalized, with 30 reported to be in stable condition at a military medical facility.
President Gustavo Petro criticized administrative delays in military modernization efforts, stating that urgent reforms were needed to protect lives. He warned that officials failing to meet responsibilities could be removed.
Several candidates in Colombia’s upcoming May 31 presidential election expressed condolences and called for a full investigation into the disaster.
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin said it would assist Colombian authorities in examining the cause of the crash.
The Hercules C-130 aircraft, first introduced in the 1950s, has long been used by Colombia’s military for troop transport amid the country’s decades-long internal conflict. The aircraft involved reportedly matched one of the units recently transferred from the United States.
The tragedy follows another recent C-130 crash involving the Bolivian Air Force in El Alto, which killed more than 20 people and injured dozens, underscoring ongoing concerns over military aviation safety in the region.
Editor’s Note:
This tragic crash highlights the ongoing risks faced by military transport operations, especially in remote and challenging terrains. While Colombia continues to modernize its fleet, the incident underscores the importance of strict safety protocols and timely maintenance to prevent future disasters. Our thoughts are with the families of those affected, and we will follow updates from authorities as the investigation progresses.
