A Colombian Hercules C-130 military transport plane carrying soldiers came down shortly after takeoff on Monday

At least 66 people were killed after a Colombian military Hercules C-130 transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday in the southern province of Putumayo. Many others were injured, while rescue and evacuation operations continued into the night.

The aircraft went down near Puerto Leguizamo, a remote Amazonian municipality near the borders with Peru and Ecuador, within a few kilometers of the airport after reporting trouble soon after departure.

The Colombian armed forces and local officials gave varying figures for the number of people on board as the emergency response unfolded, with reports putting the total at between 121 and 128 passengers and crew. Colombia's air force said those killed included six airmen, 58 members of the National Army, and two National Police officers.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez described the incident as a "tragic accident," while officials said there was no immediate indication that the crash had been caused by an attack by armed groups. The exact cause remains under investigation.

Images distributed by Colombia's armed forces and footage circulating online showed emergency crews working around the wreckage as injured passengers were loaded onto other aircraft for evacuation. Photos from the scene showed ambulances transporting survivors and responders gathered around the downed military cargo plane.

The aircraft was identified as a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, which had been donated by the US in 2020 and overhauled in 2023. President Gustavo Petro said the disaster underscored the need to modernize Colombia's military fleet.

(RT.com)