Mar 25, 2026 - A Colombian military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday, killing 66 people and injuring dozens more, according to Colombian armed forces officials.
The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft was carrying 128 people, including 115 army personnel, 11 air force crew members and two national police officers. It departed from Puerto Leguízamo in the Putumayo region of southern Colombia, near the border with Peru, at approximately 9:50 a.m. local time. The plane came down in a rural area about 1.5 kilometers from the runway, breaking apart on impact and catching fire.
Rescue teams reached the site despite its remote jungle location. Officials said 66 military personnel died in the crash, with their identities in the process of confirmation. Dozens of survivors were transported to hospitals in the region, some with serious injuries. Four people remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday, according to the head of Colombia’s armed forces, Gen. Hugo Alejandro López Barreto.
The C-130 is a four-engine turboprop aircraft commonly used for troop transport and cargo. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the plane was in airworthy condition and the crew was qualified. No immediate cause for the crash has been determined. The Colombian Air Force and civil aviation authorities have launched a joint investigation, with assistance expected from international experts.
The accident occurred in a remote part of the Amazon region, complicating initial response efforts. Videos from the area showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage. Emergency services from nearby towns and military units provided support at the scene.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed condolences to the families of the victims and ordered a full probe into the incident. The military has not released details about the mission the troops were undertaking.
As of Wednesday, search and recovery operations continued at the crash site, and the death toll stood at 66 with no updates on the missing personnel. The investigation into the circumstances of the takeoff remains ongoing, with preliminary findings not yet released.