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Colombia Military C-130 Crash Kills 66 After Takeoff From Amazon Town

The disaster has intensified calls to replace Colombia's aging airlift fleet.

Overview

  • The Colombian Air Force C-130 that crashed after takeoff near Puerto Leguízamo on Monday has left 66 dead, 57 injured, four unaccounted, and 128 confirmed on board.
  • Crews airlifted wounded to Bogotá and Florencia as residents ferried survivors from the site, where fire set off carried ammunition.
  • Military officials say causes are unknown and report no sign of an attack, as a technical investigation begins with national teams and offers of U.S. assistance.
  • President Gustavo Petro renewed calls to modernize transport aircraft and criticized procurement delays after reports that the airframe entered U.S. service in 1983 and was transferred to Colombia in 2020.
  • Victim identification continues and the probe could shape fleet plans in a country that relies on C-130s to move troops into remote Amazon areas with little road access.