Rescue workers in Colombia are searching for four individuals missing after a military plane crash in the south of the country. A tragic accident occurred when a Hercules C-130 transport plane came down shortly after take-off near Colombia's border with Peru, resulting in the deaths of 66 members of the Colombian security forces on Monday.
Local residents were the first to respond, rescuing dozens of injured survivors from the burning wreckage and transporting them to hospitals on their motorbikes. An investigation is currently ongoing to determine what caused the crash.
A total of 128 people were aboard the transport flight, which was en route from Puerto Leguízamo to Puerto Asís. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expressed concern over the safety of military equipment, attributing the crash to antiquated machinery. In a statement, he referred to 'this piece of scrap metal' presumably referring to the C-130 aircraft, emphasizing the need for modernization in military resources.
Mobile footage has captured the aircraft losing altitude shortly after take-off, with a significant plume of smoke seen rising from the crash site. The Colombian defense minister reported that explosions were heard from the plane due to ammunition igniting in the flames but confirmed there was no indication that the aircraft was fired upon by any armed groups active in the vicinity.
The latest reports indicate that 58 army personnel, six air force members, and two police officers perished in the crash. The tragedy follows an earlier incident involving a Hercules C-130 from Bolivia, which also resulted in casualties, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of this model of military aircraft.
Local residents were the first to respond, rescuing dozens of injured survivors from the burning wreckage and transporting them to hospitals on their motorbikes. An investigation is currently ongoing to determine what caused the crash.
A total of 128 people were aboard the transport flight, which was en route from Puerto Leguízamo to Puerto Asís. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expressed concern over the safety of military equipment, attributing the crash to antiquated machinery. In a statement, he referred to 'this piece of scrap metal' presumably referring to the C-130 aircraft, emphasizing the need for modernization in military resources.
Mobile footage has captured the aircraft losing altitude shortly after take-off, with a significant plume of smoke seen rising from the crash site. The Colombian defense minister reported that explosions were heard from the plane due to ammunition igniting in the flames but confirmed there was no indication that the aircraft was fired upon by any armed groups active in the vicinity.
The latest reports indicate that 58 army personnel, six air force members, and two police officers perished in the crash. The tragedy follows an earlier incident involving a Hercules C-130 from Bolivia, which also resulted in casualties, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of this model of military aircraft.
