A Colombian military Hercules plane crashed during takeoff, 110 soldiers on board

A Hercules C-130 aircraft, belonging to the Colombian army, crashed on Monday during takeoff in the south of the country, near the city of Puerto Leguizamo, announced Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez. Approximately 110 military personnel were on board, and the accident occurred just 3 km from an urban center. Video recordings from social media show a cloud of smoke at the crash site.

So far, the American concern Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the aircraft, has not provided a comment. At the end of February, another Hercules C-130 aircraft, belonging to the Bolivian air force, crashed, resulting in the deaths of over 20 people. According to the publication El Tiempo, a preliminary report indicates that 20 injured military personnel were transported to the hospital, but this information has not been officially confirmed.

The minister expressed "deep sorrow" following this tragic accident.