Colombia Plane Crash: 66 Dead, Dozens Injured in Military Aircraft Disaster

At least 66 people were killed and dozens injured when a Colombian military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in southern Colombia on Monday, according to a military source. The aircraft, a C-130 Hercules, went down near Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province, close to the border with Ecuador.

The source reported that 58 of the fatalities were soldiers, six were members of the Air Force, and two were police officers. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, which is among the deadliest in recent history for the Colombian Air Force.

Video footage circulating on local media showed flames continuing to burn at the crash site as rescue workers searched for survivors. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed “deep sorrow” following the incident. “Military units are at the site of the accident,” he said in a social media post, adding that the cause of the crash had not yet been confirmed, but “there is no indication of an attack by illegal groups.”

Sánchez also stated on the platform X that “as a result of the aircraft fire, some of the ammunition carried by the troops exploded.” He added, “This corresponds to what we are hearing in some videos circulating on social media.”

The region bordering Ecuador has seen increased military activity in recent weeks as the Colombian and Ecuadorian armies attempt to combat drug trafficking gangs and militia groups.

This represents the second incident involving a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America in less than a month. On February 27th, a Bolivian military cargo plane crashed, killing at least 24 people.

The C-130 Hercules, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is known for its operational capability from unpaved runways and is widely used by militaries around the world for troop and vehicle transport.

According to reports, the plane was carrying 125 people, including 114 soldiers and 11 crew members. Initial reports from Al Jazeera indicated that approximately 80 people were believed to have been killed, with 48 survivors found, though a formal casualty count remains unavailable. Sky News Arabia reported a source suggesting around 50 people may have survived the crash.