Colombia Military Transport Plane Crashes After Takeoff; Death Toll Disputed

A Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday, March 23, 2026.

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ABC

The incident occurred in Puerto Leguizamo, a remote municipality in Putumayo department near the Amazon region bordering Ecuador and Peru.

ABC

The Lockheed Martin aircraft was carrying military personnel when it experienced problems during initial climb and went down approximately two kilometers from the airport.

Multiple eyewitness accounts and official statements confirmed the crash during a routine troop transport mission.

Conflicting reports emerged about the exact number of people on board, ranging from 110 to 125 individuals.

Those on board included soldiers, crew members, and police officers according to various sources.

The crash resulted in a massive fire and significant wreckage scattered across dense jungle terrain.

The remote location complicated rescue efforts significantly.

The death toll from the crash remains highly disputed across multiple authoritative sources.

Initial statements from Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed only one fatality.

Acento

This figure was quickly contradicted by local authorities and military sources.

The mayor of Puerto Leguizamo, Luis Emilio Bustos, reported 34 deaths.

Governor Jhon Gabriel Molina of Putumayo department confirmed similar numbers and noted that 21 people remained unaccounted for.

Later, the head of Colombia's armed forces, General Hugo Alejandro López Barreto, announced that 66 military personnel had died.

Four others were still missing according to the military commander.

The dramatic variations reflect chaotic rescue operations in the remote crash site.

Dense jungle terrain and ongoing fires hampered recovery efforts and body counting.

Intensive rescue operations were launched immediately after the crash.

“The Associated Press reported that at least 48 people had been rescued alive from the crash site”

AeroTime

Both military personnel and local residents rushed to help survivors from the burning wreckage.

Eyewitness accounts and media footage show local residents used motorcycles to transport injured soldiers.

Other local residents attempted to extinguish the fires that consumed the aircraft.

The Colombian Air Force deployed two medical aircraft with 74 beds total.

These aircraft evacuated wounded soldiers to hospitals in Bogotá and other major cities.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed at least 77 people had been rescued with injuries.

Different sources reported varying numbers of survivors, from 48 to 83.

The remote Amazon rainforest location presented significant rescue challenges.

Only two clinics in small Puerto Leguizamo were quickly overwhelmed by casualties.

Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the crash causes.

Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez initially ruled out any attack by illegal armed groups.

Al Bawaba

The minister confirmed the aircraft was in airworthy condition with qualified crew.

Technical investigators from the Colombian Air Force Inspector General's office are examining mechanical failures.

Focus is on the aircraft's four Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines.

Meteorological factors are being examined due to high humidity and temperature conditions.

The crash occurred under conditions of 28°C with dew point at 24°C.

These conditions could have affected engine performance during takeoff.

The investigation will review maintenance records for the specific aircraft (FAC 1016).

This aircraft was donated by U.S. Air Force in 2020 and overhauled 2021-2023.

The crash has reignited debates about Colombia's aging military aircraft fleet.

““The causes of the Hercules plane accident are still unknown”

Al Jazeera

President Gustavo Petro seized on the tragedy to criticize bureaucratic obstacles delaying modernization.

Al Jazeera

Petro posted that 'I will grant no further delays; it is the lives of our young people that are at stake'.

He warned that officials not up to challenge must be removed.

The incident follows a similar Bolivian Air Force C-130 crash in February 2026.

The Bolivian crash killed more than 20 people, raising broader safety concerns.

The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules was first introduced in the 1950s.

Colombia has modernized some fleet with U.S. transferred surplus equipment.

Many aircraft remain decades old despite upgrades.

Experts note C-130s operate in difficult environmental conditions, increasing maintenance challenges.