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Colombia Air Force plane carrying 121 people crashes in south

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A Colombian Air Force plane carrying 121 people has crashed in the south of the country near the border with Peru, killing at least 34 people and injuring more than 80 others, according to local officials. The status of several passengers is still unclear.

The accident happened at 9:50 a.m. on Monday when the Hercules C-130, a four-engine military transport plane, was trying to take off from an airfield near Puerto Leguízamo, a town in the Putumayo region, close to the border with Peru.

General Carlos Silva, Commander of the Colombian Air Force, said more than 120 people were on the plane, which was taking soldiers to Puerto Asís, about 200 kilometers (126 miles) to the northwest.

“We had the timely intervention of our National Navy, which has a base in Puerto Leguízamo, allowing them to reach the site immediately and begin rescue operations,” Silva said in a video statement. Local residents also assisted.

A situation report released by the government showed that the plane was carrying 110 passengers, including 108 army personnel and 2 police officers, in addition to 11 crew members from the Colombian Air Force. Some officials put the number of passengers slightly higher, at 114.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed that 83 people had been rescued by 3 p.m. “It is the people of Putumayo who saved them from death. They went all the way to the airport runway and brought water and love to the boys,” he said.

Putumayo Governor John Gabriel Molina said at least 34 people were killed in the crash, according to Blu Radio.

The cause of Monday’s accident was not immediately known but video taken by a witness showed the plane trying to take off and quickly losing altitude. Footage of the aftermath showed a large fire burning at the crash site, destroying most of the plane.

“I express my most sincere condolences to the families of those affected and, in respect for their pain, I call for avoiding speculation until official information is available,” Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez said. “It is a deeply painful event for the country. May our prayers accompany and, to some extent, alleviate the sorrow.”

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