In brief
A C-130 Hercules belonging to the Colombian Air Force crashed shortly after take-off from Puerto Leguízamo with 125 people on board, including 114 passengers and 11 crew members. As of now, 48 injured survivors have been found, while the fate of others remains uncertain. The incident has garnered national attention, with President Gustavo Petro and Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez expressing deep concern over the accident, which highlights ongoing issues with military aircraft safety and modernization.
A Colombian Air Force plane has crashed in the south of Colombia, near the border with Peru. The aircraft, identified as a C-130 Hercules, went down shortly after take-off from Puerto Leguízamo with 125 personnel on board, including 114 passengers and 11 crew members. Air force commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda confirmed that 48 people have been rescued with injuries and transferred to nearby hospitals, but reports of fatalities have yet to be confirmed.Emergency responders are on site, sifting through the wreckage to aid the injured. Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez labeled the occurrence a tragic accident while stressing that the incident represents a deep sorrow for the nation. Footage revealed smoke rising from the wreck, with locals assisting in transporting the injured to medical facilities.President Gustavo Petro expressed hopes on social media that there would be no casualties and remarked on bureaucratic challenges hindering timely upgrades to military equipment, emphasizing the need for reform. This calamity comes in the wake of a similar accident in Bolivia, underscoring the pressing need for improvements in air safety within Latin American military forces.
