Colombian Military Plane Crash Leaves 66 Dead Near Amazon Border

A tragic aviation disaster struck southern Colombia when a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of 66 people. According to official reports, 57 individuals survived the wreckage, while several military personnel remain missing.

The aircraft, carrying 128 people including 11 crew members, went down in a forested area near Puerto Leguízamo, close to the borders of Peru and Ecuador. Hugo Alejandro López Barreto, the commander-in-chief of the Colombian Armed Forces, confirmed the heavy death toll. He noted that the victims were predominantly soldiers, alongside six Air Force personnel and two police officers.

Mid-Air Explosion and Burned Wreckage

While the border region is a known flashpoint for conflicts involving state forces, drug cartels, and militias, military officials currently suspect no foul play. "At present, we have no information or indications that this could have been an attack by an illegal armed group," López Barreto stated, describing the incident as a tragic accident.

However, eyewitness accounts and emergency responders paint a harrowing picture. The local fire department reported that the aircraft was carrying explosives. Noé Mota, a local farmer, recalled the terrifying moments before the crash: "I felt an explosion in the air, and when I looked, the plane was already flying close past my house." The wreckage was largely consumed by fire upon impact in the dense forest.

President Petro Demands Modernization

Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to the social media platform X to express his grief and frustration. Calling the crash a "terrible accident that should not have happened," the president directed sharp criticism at the bureaucratic hurdles hindering the modernization of the nation's armed forces. "It is about the lives of our young people," Petro emphasized.