Scores killed as Colombian military plane crashes on takeoff
Tragedy Strikes: Colombian Military Plane Crash Claims 69 Lives on Takeoff
A Colombian military transport plane crashed during takeoff in the southern region on Monday, resulting in 69 fatalities and 57 injuries, reported the country’s armed forces. The C-130 Hercules aircraft disintegrated upon impact and ignited a fire shortly after crashing near Puerto Leguízamo, a town located in the Putumayo area, which shares a border with Peru.
The military disclosed that of the 126 individuals aboard, 113 were army personnel, two were police officers, and the remaining 11 comprised crew members. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the crash’s cause remains under investigation. He noted that there’s no evidence pointing to an attack by criminal groups. Additionally, he confirmed the aircraft was in operational condition and the crew members were appropriately trained.
“The crash ‘should never have happened,’ said Colombian President Gustavo Petro. He criticized the armed forces’ lack of modernization, blaming it on ‘bureaucratic difficulties.'”
CNN’s geolocated video captures the military plane departing Caucaya Airport and traversing over a rural area just before the accident. The footage suggests the crash occurred within a short distance of the airport.
According to Nicolas Ordoñez, an indigenous ranger participating in rescue efforts in Leguízamo, several survivors were transported to a nearby hospital. Additional injured personnel were evacuated to Bogotá for medical attention.
The aircraft in question was a C-130H Hercules, an older variant of the C-130 series introduced in March 1965 by Lockheed Martin. The C-130H was donated to the Colombian Air Force by the US Air Force in September 2020.
This incident follows a similar tragedy in late January, where an aircraft crashed near Cúcuta in the northeast region mere minutes after takeoff, killing all 126 individuals on board, including congressman Diógenes Quintero.
The story has been updated. Reporters Stefano Pozzebon, Avery Schmitz, and Ivonne Valdés from CNN contributed to the report.
