Colombia plane crash: 66 dead, dozens injured after C-130 aircraft goes down
Colombian Air Force aircraft carried 114 passengers and 11 crew, many involved in operations in the region
A devastating air tragedy has plunged Colombia into mourning, after a military transport aircraft carrying 125 people crashed shortly after takeoff in the country’s remote southwestern Amazon region, leaving at least 66 dead and dozens injured, authorities confirmed.
The ill-fated Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules went down moments after departing from Puerto Leguizamo, a frontier town near the Peruvian border, turning a routine military flight into a catastrophe of staggering proportions. The aircraft, operated by the Colombian Air Force, was carrying 114 passengers and 11 crew members, many believed to be part of ongoing operations in the volatile region.
What began as a routine takeoff quickly turned into disaster. Eyewitness accounts and early reports suggest the aircraft struggled to gain altitude before plunging toward the ground. Videos circulating on social media appear to show the jet nosediving seconds after liftoff, followed by thick plumes of smoke rising from the crash site just 3 km from an urban centre — though their authenticity has not been independently verified.
Local government secretary Carlos Claros confirmed that 48 people were injured, many of them critically, as emergency responders scrambled to evacuate survivors from the dense and difficult terrain. The scale of the tragedy continued to evolve through the day, with initial reports of eight fatalities giving way to a far grimmer toll as rescue operations progressed. The fate of more than 40 individuals remained uncertain, adding to the anguish of families awaiting news.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed concern over the incident, noting that the status of several passengers was still unconfirmed. In a separate statement, he used the moment to underscore long-standing frustrations over delays in modernising the country’s military infrastructure, blaming bureaucratic hurdles for stalling critical upgrades.
“The modernization of the military forces' armament has been a decision of my presidency for years,” Petro said, warning that continued administrative delays would not be tolerated. He called for urgent approvals and hinted at decisive action against officials responsible for holding up key defence projects.
Meanwhile, Fernando Silva confirmed that a full-scale investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash. As search and rescue teams continue to comb through the wreckage deep in the Amazon, the nation grapples with a tragedy that has not only claimed dozens of lives but also raised troubling questions about safety, preparedness, and accountability.
In the shadow of the smouldering wreckage, Colombia mourns — its grief echoing far beyond the forest where the aircraft fell, into homes, barracks, and communities forever changed by the loss.