At least 66 people have died after a military transport plane carrying 128 people, mostly soldiers, crashed shortly after take-off
At least 66 people have lost their lives following a military transport aircraft crash shortly after departure in Colombia.
It is understood that 128 people were aboard, predominantly soldiers, when the aircraft went down on Monday, 23 March in Puerto Leguizamo, Colombia. Dozens have sustained injuries, the head of Colombia’s armed forces confirmed. Four military personnel remained unaccounted for.
Defence minister Pedro Sanchez stated on X that the aircraft was transporting troops to another city in Putumayo.
“Sadly, as a consequence of this tragic accident, 66 of our military elements died,” said General Hugo Alejandro Lopez Barreto.
“At the moment, we have no information, or indications, that it was an attack by an illegal armed group,” Mr Barreto added.
The remains of the victims have been transported to the small town’s morgue. Just two clinics in the town treated the wounded before they were airlifted to larger cities. Puerto Leguizamo is situated in Putumayo, an Amazonian province bordering Ecuador and Peru.
Footage circulated online by Colombian media outlets showed a dense black plume of smoke billowing from a field where the aircraft came down. A lorry carrying soldiers is seen racing to the scene.
Carlos Fernando Silva, the commander of Colombia’s air force, said specifics of the incident were not yet available, “except that the plane had a problem and went down about two kilometres from the airport”.
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