At least 80 people have reportedly died when a military transport aircraft crashed during takeoff in Colombia on Monday, though authorities said the casualty figures remain unconfirmed amid conflicting reports, according to officials.
A military source said as many as 50 people may have survived when the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft went down shortly after departing from Puerto Leguízamo, a town in southern Colombia near the border with Ecuador.
The area has seen intensified military operations in recent weeks as Colombian and Ecuadorian forces step up efforts against drug trafficking cartels and armed militias operating across the border region.
State broadcaster RCN Television aired footage showing a heavily damaged fuselage engulfed in flames in a forest clearing following the crash.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed “deep sorrow” over the incident.
“Military units are already at the scene,” Sanchez posted on social media, adding that “the number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been confirmed.”
“It is a deeply painful event for the country. May our prayers bring some measure of comfort,” said Sanchez.
The crash marks the second involving a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America in less than a month.
On February 27, a Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed while landing near La Paz, killing at least 24 people.
The Lockheed Martin-built Hercules is a four-engine turboprop widely used by militaries worldwide, known for its ability to operate from rough and makeshift airstrips while transporting troops, vehicles, and cargo.
