Military Aircraft Carrying 125 Crashes in Colombia, Killing at Least 8

"At Least 80 Injured"
"No Signs of External Attack"
Aging Aircraft Model First Introduced in the 1950s

On the morning of March 23, 2026, at around 9:50 a.m. local time, a military aircraft carrying 125 people crashed shortly after takeoff in southwestern Colombia, resulting in at least 8 deaths and dozens of injuries.

On the 23rd (local time), Colombian military police, rescue workers, and volunteers were carrying out rescue operations at the crash site of a Hercules C-130 transport aircraft belonging to the Colombian Air Force (FAC) in Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia. According to a preliminary report from the local state government, the transport aircraft carrying 125 people crashed, resulting in at least 8 deaths and 83 injuries, with 14 of the injured in critical condition. EPA Yonhap News

According to Bloomberg News, the transport plane had at least 125 people on board at the time of the accident, including 114 passengers and 11 crew members. The crash occurred just after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo Department, a region bordering Peru and Ecuador.

Yon Gabriel Molina, Governor of Putumayo Department, announced at a press briefing that "at least 83 people were injured." Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that "the cause of the accident has not yet been identified."

Air Force Commander Carlos Fernando Silva explained, "It appears the aircraft developed a problem and crashed at a point approximately 2 kilometers from the airport," adding that "an air ambulance was dispatched to the scene immediately."

Footage released by local media captured the urgent situation, showing black smoke rising from the crash site and the sound of minor explosions. Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez explained, "Initial investigations have found no evidence of an attack by illegal armed groups."

The aircraft involved in the accident was a Hercules C-130 manufactured by Lockheed Martin, which is known to have a maximum capacity of 120 people. It is an aging model that was first introduced in the 1950s. Colombia imported this transport aircraft in the late 1960s.

Due to its age, related accidents have occurred repeatedly. At the end of last month, a Bolivian Air Force Hercules C-130 crashed in the densely populated city of El Alto, resulting in 20 deaths and 30 injuries.

President Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "I hope there will be no more casualties in this terrible accident that should never have happened." He also criticized bureaucratic obstacles hindering military modernization, emphasizing, "As this concerns the lives of our young people, further delays in military modernization will no longer be tolerated."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.