Death Toll in Colombia Military Plane Crash Rises to 66

Bogota — The death toll from a tragic military aircraft crash in southern Colombia has climbed to 66, with 57 others injured, according to local media reports citing military sources.

The accident occurred in the Putumayo region when a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules went down shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguizamo, near the Peru border. There were 114 passengers and 11 crew members on board at the time of the crash.

Carlos Silva, head of the Colombian Aerospace Force, confirmed the details in a video statement, adding that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.

Gustavo Petro said that the status of more than 40 people onboard remains unclear, raising concerns that the casualty figure could increase further.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that the aircraft crashed during takeoff, and emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the site. He extended condolences to the families of the victims and assured that all necessary support measures have been activated.

Several injured personnel have been airlifted to Bogota for treatment.

Air Force Commander Fernando Silva reiterated that authorities are working to establish the exact cause of the crash.

President Petro described the incident as one that “should never have happened,” pointing to delays in modernising the armed forces due to bureaucratic hurdles.

The aircraft involved—a C-130H Hercules, an older model introduced in the 1960s by Lockheed Martin—had been transferred to Colombia by the US Air Force in 2020.

Unverified visuals circulating on social media show the aircraft descending sharply before impact, followed by thick smoke rising from the crash site, reportedly located just a few kilometres from a populated area.

With inputs from IANS