Colombia’s defence ministry said that a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules crashed during take-off in the country’s southern Amazon region. The crash raised concerns over casualties as 110 soldiers were on board when the plane crashed.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that the aircraft went down shortly after departing from Puerto Leguizamo, near the border with Peru, while transporting military personnel. However, he added that the exact number of victims and the cause of the mishap remained undetermined.
According to local outlet BluRadio, around 110 soldiers were on board at the time of the crash. Meanwhile, two military sources told Reuters that at least 57 people were evacuated alive from the wreckage, suggesting a significant number of survivors despite the severity of the incident.
Footage shared by local media showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the crash site, which was located approximately three kilometres from an urban area. Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities work to secure the site and assess the situation.
In response, President Gustavo Petro expressed concern and hoped there would be no fatalities. At the same time, he criticized bureaucratic delays that have hindered efforts to modernize the country’s military fleet, stressing the need for urgent reforms.
Furthermore, Petro warned that officials failing to address these challenges would be held accountable, emphasizing that the safety of military personnel must remain a top priority.
The aircraft involved, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is part of a fleet first introduced in the 1950s. Colombia acquired its initial models in the late 1960s and has since upgraded several units through US-supported defence transfer programmes.
