Death toll in Colombian military C-130 Hercules plane crash rises to 66; Prez Petro shares video of moments before tragedy | Watch

The death toll in the Colombian military aircraft crash rose to at least 66 on Tuesday (Mar 24). The C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying 125 people crashed moments after takeoff on Monday (Mar 23), officials said. It went down shortly after departing from Puerto Leguizamo, a remote town near Colombia’s southern borders with Ecuador and Peru. Earlier, officials said eight people were killed in the crash; however, unnamed military sources had painted a far grimmer picture, suggesting up to 80 people may have perished. Visuals of the crash showed burning debris scattered across dense jungle, with thick smoke rising above the treeline.

Eight or eighty killed?

Putumayo governor Jhon Gabriel Molina, in a video statement, confirmed the death toll and said at least 83 people had been injured. Investigators, he added, were still trying to piece together what went wrong.

According to an AFP report, earlier, a military source had suggested a far grimmer picture. The unnamed individual told the news agency that as many as 80 people might have died. At the same time, officials were also reporting that around 40 survivors had been found. The numbers, for now, remain unclear.

Crash comes amid tense anti-drug trafficking operations

The region where the crash occurred has seen intense military operations in recent weeks. Colombian and Ecuadorian forces have been targeting drug trafficking groups and armed militias operating along the border.

Images from the site showed civilians moving cautiously around the wreckage, including the aircraft’s broken tail marked FAC 1016. Flames continued to burn as responders struggled to secure the area.

President Gustavo Petro shared footage showing the aircraft struggling to gain altitude before plunging. He called it a "horrific accident" and pointed to the need for modernising Colombia’s military equipment, though he stopped short of linking that directly to the crash.

Watch video here:

"Deeply painful event"

Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez called the crash a "deeply painful event" and said military teams were on their way to the remote location. "May our prayers bring some measure of comfort," he said, while stressing that it was too early to determine the cause.

General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda confirmed that 114 troops and 11 crew members were on board. They had been travelling between two Amazon outposts. The area itself has slowed rescue efforts. "The airport is small, and there are several difficulties", Molina said, referring to the evacuation of the injured and the recovery of bodies.

A pattern of accidents emerging?

The incident comes less than a month after another Hercules aircraft went down in the region. In February, a Bolivian military cargo plane crashed near La Paz, killing at least 24 people. Built by Lockheed Martin, the C-130 Hercules is widely used by militaries worldwide. Known for its ability to operate in tough conditions, it can land on short, makeshift runways and carry heavy loads, from troops to vehicles.