On Monday, March 23, in Colombia, a military plane crashed during takeoff, the Ministry of Defense announced. According to local media, around a hundred people were on board.
The accident of a military plane that crashed on Monday in southern Colombia has resulted in at least 8 deaths and 83 injuries, according to local authorities. Colombian authorities reported that the military plane, a Hercules C-130, was carrying 125 people at the time of the crash, shortly after taking off from Puerto Leguizamo in the Putumayo department, near the border with Ecuador.
An initial report indicated 48 injuries, while a military source suggested that the accident had caused 80 deaths.
Governor Jhon Gabriel Molina of Putumayo communicated this update in a video shared on Facebook, mentioning “major difficulties in evacuating the victims” from the small airport. An initial report from the military mentioned 48 injuries.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed “deep sorrow” over the tragic accident involving a Colombian military Hercules aircraft during its takeoff while transporting troops to Puerto Leguizamo, near the Ecuadorian border.
The head of the Colombian Air Force, General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda, later reported in a press conference a provisional tally of “48 injuries” among the 114 military personnel and 11 crew members on board.
Investigation Opened
In his statement, the Defense Minister announced that an investigation had been launched to determine the causes of the accident, which remain unknown at present.
“Military units are already on site; however, the exact number of victims and the causes of the accident are yet to be determined,” wrote Pedro Sanchez. The Defense Minister referred to it as “a deeply painful event for the country.”
Puerto Leguizamo, a border area with Ecuador, is known for being unstable. It has been the focus of intense military activity for several weeks, with Colombian and Ecuadorian forces working to weaken armed groups involved in drug trafficking.
