Overview
- The Colombian Air Force C-130, which crashed Monday just after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo near the Peru border, has left at least 69 dead and many injured.
- Officials reported roughly 125 to 128 people aboard, mostly soldiers, with several still unaccounted for as evacuations and identifications continue.
- Commanders say the cause remains under investigation with no indication of an attack, and a technical team with U.S. Air Force support is examining the wreckage.
- Rescue efforts faced fresh hazards as ammunition on the aircraft detonated in the fire, and residents used motorcycles and trucks to ferry the wounded to small clinics for airlift to larger hospitals.
- The Hercules involved was built in 1983 and donated to Colombia in 2020, fueling scrutiny of aging transports and maintenance practices after a separate C-130 crash in Bolivia last month.