Colombian Military Plane Crash Claims 66 Lives in Colombia

On Monday, a Colombian military transport aircraft, specifically a Lockheed C-130 Hercules, crashed shortly after takeoff near Puerto Leguízamo, close to the Ecuador and Peru borders. The aircraft was carrying 125 soldiers and crew members when it went down, leading to a confirmed death toll of at least 66 individuals, which includes 58 soldiers, six air force personnel, and two police officers.

Dozens of others sustained injuries and were evacuated for treatment. Initial reports had suggested a lower casualty number, but officials later confirmed the higher toll.

Rescue and evacuation efforts were complicated by the small size of the local airport and challenging terrain. Colombian President Gustavo Petro described the incident as a horrific accident and emphasized the need to modernize the country's military equipment.

This crash marks the second incident involving a C-130 aircraft in South America within a month, following a similar crash in Bolivia in February that resulted in at least 24 deaths.