At Least 66 Dead After Colombian Military Plane Crashes Shortly After Takeoff

A Colombian Air Force level carrying 128 group collapsed conscionable aft takeoff connected Monday, sidesplitting 66 group arsenic rescuers shuttled dozens of survivors to adjacent hospitals and searched for 4 ‌who were still missing, according to a apical official.

The carrier level was carrying 11 aerial unit members, 115 service personnel, and 2 nationalist constabulary officers erstwhile it collapsed heavy successful nan country's confederate Amazon region, according to Hugo Alejandro Lopez, caput of nan nation's equipped forces.

The decease toll was astir double that of nan erstwhile fig fixed by ​authorities, who continued hunt and betterment efforts astatine nan tract of nan deadly crash. The mishap occurred arsenic nan Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 level was taking ​off from Puerto Leguizamo, connected nan separator pinch Peru, defence curate Pedro Sanchez said connected X.

The level was believed ⁠to person suffered an effect adjacent nan extremity of nan runway arsenic it was taking off, firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas told Caracol, ​with a helping of nan level later clipping a character arsenic it was plummeting.

The clang caused nan level to drawback occurrence and detonate immoderate ​sort of explosive devices connected board, he added.

Residents of nan distant area were nan first to propulsion retired survivors, pinch videos showing men speeding down a ungraded roadworthy pinch wounded soldiers connected nan backmost of their motorcycles.

Military vehicles later arrived, though authorities said nan clang tract was difficult to reach, impeding rescue efforts. Mr Lopez said that 57 ​of nan survivors had been hospitalised, pinch 30 of them successful non-serious information astatine a subject clinic.

President Gustavo Petro, successful nan ​twilight of his administration, criticised bureaucratic obstacles for delaying his plans to modernise nan military.

"I will assistance nary further delays; it is nan lives of ‌our young ⁠people that are astatine stake," he said successful a station connected X.

"If civilian aliases subject administrative officials are not up to this challenge, they must beryllium removed.”

Several candidates successful Colombia's upcoming 31 May statesmanlike predetermination offered condolences and called for an investigation.

A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin said nan institution was committed to helping Colombia arsenic it investigates nan incident.

Footage published by section outlet BluRadio showed heavy plumes of fume rising from nan clang site, located conscionable 3km (2 miles) from an municipality centre. One video depicted nan aircraft heading towards nan crushed moments aft departing. Authorities are presently investigating nan origin of nan crash.

Hercules C-130 planes were first launched successful nan 1950s and Colombia acquired its first models successful nan precocious 1960s. It has much precocious modernized immoderate older C-130s pinch newer models sent from nan U.S. nether a rule that allows for nan transportation of utilized aliases surplus subject equipment.

Additional specifications of nan level progressive successful nan mishap were not instantly available.

Several candidates successful Colombia's upcoming May 31 statesmanlike predetermination expressed condolences to nan families of nan injured soldiers connected societal media and called for an investigation.

Colombia's Commander General of nan Armed Forces, Hugo Lopez, vowed to respond pinch "the utmost responsibility, humanity and transparency".

At nan extremity of February, different Hercules C-130 belonging to nan Bolivian Air Force collapsed successful nan populous metropolis of El Alto, hardly missing a residential block.

More than 20 group died successful that incident and different 30 were injured, and banknotes from nan plane's cargo scattered astir nan city, prompting clashes betwixt residents and information forces.