Scores killed as Colombian military plane crashes on takeoff
Colombian Military Plane Crash Claims 69 Lives Near Puerto Leguízamo
A Colombian military transport plane crashed during takeoff, killing at least 69 people and injuring 57. The incident occurred in the southern region of the country, near Puerto Leguízamo, a town in the Putumayo area that shares a border with Peru. The C-130 Hercules aircraft shattered upon impact and ignited flames, according to the nation’s armed forces.
The plane carried a total of 126 individuals, including 113 soldiers, two police officers, and 11 crew members. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the crash’s cause remains unclear, noting no evidence of a criminal attack. He emphasized the aircraft was in operational condition and the crew had appropriate qualifications.
“This tragedy should never have happened,” said Colombian President Gustavo Petro, criticizing the armed forces’ failure to modernize due to bureaucratic hurdles.
A CNN geolocated video captures the plane’s departure from Caucaya Airport, followed by its descent over a rural area shortly before the crash. The footage suggests the incident occurred within a mile of the airport. Thick black smoke and flames were visible at the crash site, as reported by witnesses.
Survivors from the crash were transported to a nearby hospital, with some injured soldiers later evacuated to the capital, Bogotá. Sánchez expressed condolences to the families of the victims. The aircraft in question was a C-130H Hercules, an earlier version of the C-130 series that began service in March 1965, as per Lockheed Martin.
The plane was donated by the US Air Force to the Colombian Air Force in September 2020. C-130 cargo planes are known for their reliability in challenging environments. This marks the most recent fatal aviation incident in Colombia this year. In late January, another plane crashed near Cúcuta in the northeast, killing all 126 on board, including Congressman Diógenes Quintero.
This report has been revised. Contributions were made by CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon, Avery Schmitz, and Ivonne Valdés.
