A military transport plane carrying 125 people crashed shortly after take-off in southwestern Colombia, injuring at least 77 people, as per the media reports.
The plane went down near Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province, a remote area close to the borders with Peru and Ecuador. Most of those on board were soldiers.
Rescue efforts
According to the Colombian air force, 114 passengers and 11 crew members were on board the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
As per the Associated Press (AP), one passenger is reported dead.
Rescue teams have so far recovered at least 77 injured people from the crash site.
Authorities say efforts are continuing to reach others.
Images shared by local media showed smoke rising from the crash site, while videos appeared to show injured soldiers being transported on motorcycles by local residents.
Air Force Commander Carlos Fernando Silva said the aircraft came down about two kilometres from the airport after experiencing a problem shortly after take-off.
Two aircraft equipped with medical facilities have been sent to the area to transport the injured to hospitals in Bogotá and other cities.
Govt response
Minister of National Defence for Colombia, Pedro Arnulfo Sanchez Suarez, described the incident as a “tragic accident”.
According to his post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Pedro said,
“We have just held a meeting with the military and police leadership regarding the tragic accident involving our C-130 Hercules aircraft:
1. The aircraft was covering the route from Puerto Leguízamo to Puerto Asís, in the department of Putumayo.
2. The aircraft was in airworthy condition, and the crew was duly qualified.
3. The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, falling to the ground approximately one and a half kilometres from the aerodrome.
4. Several injured individuals have been evacuated. Once the complete list of these and the fatalities is confirmed, it will be reported promptly.
5. According to the information available up to this point, there are no indications of an attack by illegal actors. As a result of the aircraft fire, part of the ammunition being transported by the troops detonated, which corresponds to what can be heard in some videos circulating on social media.
6. From the Defence sector, we express our solidarity with the families of each of our military and police personnel, and we have activated all support and accompaniment protocols during this difficult time. To all of Colombia, thank you for the solidarity and the responsible handling of the information. In memory of our heroes and heroines, we continue fulfilling the mission, despite the pain and adversity.”
The defence minister said the crash was “profoundly painful for the country” and expressed hope that those injured would recover.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash. An investigation is likely to examine technical issues and operational factors as rescue efforts continue in the remote region.
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