Rescue workers in Colombia are frantically searching for four missing soldiers following a tragic crash of a military Hercules C-130 transport plane that claimed the lives of 66 members of the Colombian security forces.
The aircraft went down shortly after taking off from the town of Puerto Leguízamo, near the border with Peru, on Monday. A total of 128 individuals were aboard the flight, which was bound for Puerto Asís.
Local residents were the first on the scene, rescuing numerous survivors from the blazing wreckage and transporting them to hospitals using motorbikes. An investigation has commenced to ascertain the cause of the devastating accident.
The crash saw 58 army personnel, six members of the air force, and two police officers lose their lives. Colombia's defense minister confirmed that the sound of explosions reported during the incident originated from ammunition on board igniting in the flames. There are currently no indications that the plane had come under attack from any armed group active in the region.
In a series of posts on social media, Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed concern over the aging military hardware contributing to the accident, specifically referring to the Hercules plane as 'scrap metal' purchased in 2020. He emphasized an urgent need to modernize the armed forces' equipment to ensure the safety of troops.
Mobile phone footage shared online depicted the plane losing altitude shortly after take-off, coupled with a loud bang before it crashed into a wooded area. Eyewitness Noé Mota recounted hearing an explosion and spotting the plane close to his home.
This incident follows another recent crash involving a Hercules C-130 belonging to the Bolivian army, which resulted in 24 fatalities.
