A Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday in the country's southwest, killing nearly 80 military personnel, according to preliminary reports.
The aircraft went down about three kilometers from Puerto Leguizamo airport in Putumayo province after departing with 114 soldiers and 11 crew members on board, a total of 125 people, the military and local media reported.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the crash on social media. Search and rescue operations were launched immediately, with 48 injured survivors taken to nearby hospitals.
While Sanchez said the exact death toll and cause of the accident remain under investigation, military sources cited by local media indicated around 80 soldiers lost their lives. If confirmed, the crash would be one of Colombia's worst military aviation disasters in recent years.
Authorities are investigating whether mechanical failure or weather conditions contributed to the crash. The military has cordoned off the area around the airport for evidence collection.
