A Colombian Air Force plane has crashed in the south of the country, leaving at least eight people dead.
Air force commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda confirmed that 114 army personnel were on board, accompanied by 11 crew members. So far, 48 survivors with injuries have been rescued from the wreckage and are receiving medical attention.
Regional governor Jhon Gabriel Molina reported that the crash on Monday resulted in eight confirmed fatalities and more than 80 injuries. The C-130 Hercules, a US-made aircraft utilized for troop transportation, crashed near Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province.
Emergency workers are on-site conducting searches through the wreckage, while the investigation into the cause of the crash is currently underway.
Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez characterized the plane crash as a 'tragic accident' during the take-off while transporting security forces. This incident, lamented by the Minister, has raised concerns about the safety protocols surrounding military operations.
Images from the crash scene reveal thick smoke and local media footage shows injured soldiers being transported to hospitals using motorcycles. President Gustavo Petro publicly mourned the incident, describing it as 'horrendous' and pointing to bureaucratic delays in military modernizations as a contributing factor without suggesting a specific reason for the crash.
Last month, a similar incident occurred when a Bolivian Air Force C-130 Hercules crashed, resulting in at least 20 fatalities.
