Colombia military plane crash in Putumayo prompts rescue teams and investigation

A Hercules C-130 military cargo plane crashed shortly after take-off in Puerto Leguizamo, Putumayo, in southwestern Colombia. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez said the number of casualties was not yet confirmed and rescue teams were deployed. President Gustavo Petro called the incident tragic and reiterated his push to modernise military aircraft and equipment as investigators assess the cause.

A Colombian military transport aircraft crashed soon after take-off on Monday in the country’s south-west, officials said. The incident happened in Puerto Leguizamo, a hard-to-reach town in Putumayo province. Putumayo sits in the Amazon region and borders Peru and Ecuador. The number of casualties was not confirmed.

Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez reported the crash on X and said the cause remained unclear. Sánchez said rescue crews were sent to the crash area soon after the report. Local media images online showed thick, dark smoke above a field. The same images showed a truck carrying soldiers heading towards the site.

Colombia military cargo plane crash details

Sánchez said the aircraft was a Hercules C-130 and did not give the troop count onboard. The model can be arranged to carry up to 120 people. Officials also did not confirm how many were injured or killed. The minister described the event as a national tragedy and said the investigation was ongoing.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro also posted on X after the crash was reported. "I hope there will be no deadly casualties in this accident that should have not occurred,\" Petro wrote. Petro linked the incident to efforts to update military aircraft and other equipment. Petro said those plans faced delays because of administrative hurdles.

Colombia military cargo plane crash and equipment debate

Petro said the modernisation drive had been part of a long-standing push. Petro suggested some officials should face consequences for failures. \"If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to the challenge, they must be removed,\" Petro said. The president did not name any official or describe specific steps.

Sánchez said the crash was deeply painful for Colombia and asked people to keep those affected in mind. \"We hope that our prayers can help to relieve some of the pain,\" Sánchez wrote. Authorities continued rescue work in Puerto Leguizamo while waiting for confirmed figures. Officials said the reason for the crash was still unknown.

With inputs from PTI