No fewer than 66 members of Colombia’s armed forces have been confirmed dead following a military plane crash that occurred shortly after take-off in the southern part of the country on Monday.
Colombian Chief of Defence, Hugo Alejandro López Barreto, confirmed the incident, describing it as a tragic loss to the nation.
“Sadly, as a consequence of this tragic accident, 66 of our armed forces members died,” he said.
Barreto disclosed that a total of 128 persons were on board the aircraft, comprising 11 members of the Colombian Aerospace Force, 115 army personnel, and two members of the national police. Initial reports had indicated that 125 people were on board.
The ill-fated C-130 Hercules aircraft was en route from Puerto Leguízamo to Puerto Asís, both located in the Putumayo Department near Colombia’s border with Peru, when it crashed shortly after take-off.
Authorities said the cause of the crash is yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, videos circulating on social media showed thick grey smoke billowing from the crash site, alongside scattered wreckage.
