Colombia military plane crashes killing dozens

The Hercules C-130 aircraft crashed as it was taking off in Colombia's southern Amazon region, bordering Peru.

A military transport plane carrying 128 people crashed shortly after takeoff in Puerto Leguizamo in southern Colombia, killing at least 66 and injuring dozens, according to the head of Colombia’s armed forces. Four military personnel remain missing.

 "Sadly, as a consequence of this tragic accident, 66 of our military elements died," General Hugo Alejandro Lopez Barreto said

Local government secretary Carlos Claros told RCN television that another 81 people were injured

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said the Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 was transporting troops from Puerto Leguizamo to Putumayo.

 Investigators were probing the cause of the crash.

What do we know about the Hercules C-130 crash?

The military aircraft crashed as it was taking off from Puerto Leguizamo, in Colombia's southern Amazon region on the border with Peru, according to Sanchez, who called it a "tragic accident."

Photos shared online showed a black cloud of smoke rising from where the plane had crashed. Soldiers were seen rushing to the site.

Local outlet BluRadio said the crash occurred just 3 kilometers (2 miles) from an urban center, citing authorities.

"The exact number of victims ​and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined," Sanchez initially said.

What do we know about Hercules C-130 aircraft?

Sanchez said the cause of the crash was being investigated.

"At the moment, we have no information, or indications, that it was an attack by an illegal armed group," the military chief Barreto added.

President Petro criticized "bureaucratic difficulties" for delaying his plans to modernize the military in a post on X. 

"I will grant no further delays; it is the lives of our young people ​that are at stake," he said. "If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to this challenge, they must be removed."

Since the late 1960s, Colombia has been acquiring Hercules C-130 planes, which were launched in the 1950s. Recently, Colombia replaced some older models with newer ones sent from the US.

In Bolivia, a Hercules C-130 belonging to the country's Air Force crashed in the populous city of El Alto in February, killing over 20 people and injuring 30 more.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko and Louis Oelofse