A Colombian Air Force transport aircraft, which was carrying a total of 125 occupants, met with disaster shortly after departing from an airport in the southern Amazon region on March 23.
The downed Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 went down in proximity to Puerto Leguizamo, situated near the Peruvian border.
According to sources cited by Reuters, approximately 57 individuals have been rescued alive, leaving over 50 still unaccounted for.
Local media outlet BluRadio released footage depicting significant smoke billowing from the crash site, located merely 3 kilometers (2 miles) from a populated area.
Breaking news from regional sources reported the incident involving the Colombian Air Force plane that was transporting 110 people near Puerto Leguízamo.
The Colombian Defense Minister, Pedro Anulfo Sanchez, stated that the Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 encountered a tragic accident.
He expressed hopes that the collective prayers of Colombians would help ease the suffering of the families affected by this calamity.
Mr. Sanchez, confirming the accident via X, added that the precise casualty count and reasons leading to the crash remain undetermined.
President Gustavo Petro expressed his hope that there would be no lives lost in this unfortunate incident, which he described as unacceptable. He also criticized the bureaucratic issues that have hindered his efforts to upgrade the military.
"I will not allow further delays; the lives of our youth are at stake," he remarked. "If any civilian or military officials are unable to address this problem, they should be dismissed."
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!