Event in Putumayo, Puerto Leguízamo area, Colombia on Mon 23rd March 2026

A Colombian Air Force plane carrying 125 people has crashed in the south of the country near the border with Peru, according to local officials and witnesses.

As many as 67 people have been rescued, some with serious injuries.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 114 passengers and 11 crew members 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. “At this time, we know that 48 injured people have been rescued. This is a preliminary figure, and all of them are in medical facilities in Puerto Leguízamo.

”According to Blu Radio, the number of people rescued has since risen to 67.

Some of the victims are in serious condition.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.

While officials have yet to confirm any fatalities, a statement from Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez suggested that not everyone may have survived.“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,” Sanchez said.

“It is a deeply painful event for the country. May our prayers accompany and, to some extent, alleviate the sorrow.”