Colombian military plane crashes shortly after taking off

Colombia Plane Crash: Investigation Underway

A Colombian military plane carrying 125 personnel has crashed shortly after takeoff in the southern part of the country. According to Air Force Commander Carlos Fernando Silva, the aircraft was transporting 114 passengers and 11 crew members.

President Gustavo Petro confirmed that at least one person had died, with 77 others injured. The status of 43 individuals remained unknown. Silva stated that authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez reported that the accident occurred when the Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 plane took off from Puerto Leguizamo on the border with Peru while transporting troops. Military units have been deployed to the scene, but the number of victims and causes of the crash have not yet been confirmed.

The incident is described as a “deeply painful event” for the country by Sanchez. The Colombian Air Force has operated Hercules C-130 planes since the late 1960s. In recent years, some older models have been modernized with newer aircraft sent from the United States.

A similar incident occurred last month in Bolivia, where another Hercules C-130 belonging to the Bolivian Air Force crashed near a residential area, resulting in over 20 fatalities and 30 injuries.

Source: Al Jazeera