A Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the country’s southern Amazon region on Monday, leaving at least 77 people missing and sparking a massive search-and-rescue operation.
The aircraft was carrying 114 soldiers and 11 crew members when it went down near the border with Peru. Emergency responders confirmed that 48 survivors have been evacuated from the burning wreckage, though the severity of their injuries has not been disclosed.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the “tragic accident” occurred during troop transport maneuvers. “The exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined,” Sanchez stated, calling for national solidarity with the victims’ families.
President Gustavo Petro addressed the disaster on social media, attributing the incident to systemic delays in military modernization. He warned of administrative purges, stating he would no longer tolerate “bureaucratic obstacles” that jeopardize the lives of service members.
The C-130 Hercules fleet, a staple of the Colombian military since the 1960s, has undergone various modernization efforts in recent years, often involving surplus equipment from the United States. Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the crash.
