A Colombian military transport plane with 121 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff in the south of the country, leaving at least 66 people dead.
According to the The Guardian, Pedro SanchezColombia’s defense minister, said the accident happened when the plane Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 it was taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, deep in the Amazon region of southern Colombia, on the border with Peru.
“This event is deeply painful for the country. We hope that our prayers can help alleviate some of the pain,” Sánchez wrote, later adding that “the aircraft was in good flying condition and the crew was properly qualified.”
Videos shared on social media captured the moment the plane began to lose altitude, while other footage showed a black cloud of smoke that began rising from a field where the plane crashed.
The aircraft was transporting troops from the Colombian armed forces. The accident left at least 66 dead, while another 77 were rescued from the plane crash site with injuries. A defense ministry spokesman said authorities were still investigating the total number of deaths.
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Colombian media outlets shared videos of soldiers being rushed out of the site on motorcycles driven by local residents, while another group of residents tried to put out the fire that the plane crash had created in the camp.
Carlos Fernando Silvacommander of Colombia’s air force, said details of the crash were not yet known. All he knows is “that the plane had a problem and crashed about two kilometers from the airport.”
The Colombian defense minister added that, although the causes are still under investigation, it is now possible to rule out that the accident was caused by an attack by any of the numerous armed groups that are plaguing Colombia.
A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin said the company is committed to assisting Colombia during investigations into the incident.
It is worth remembering that, at the end of February, another Hercules C-130 belonging to the Bolivian air force crashed in the city of El Alto, an accident that killed more than 20 people and left another 30 injured.
🚨 CRASH UPDATE: DEATH TOLL RISES IN COLOMBIA MILITARY PLANE CRASH
The number of fatalities has increased to 66, with 4 soldiers still missing after a military aircraft crash in Colombia.
• 128 people were on board
• 115 from the Army
• 11 crew members
• 2 from the National… pic.twitter.com/RHwPbJkCVy— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) March 24, 2026
Photo and video: Colombian Air Force / X @MOSSADil. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
