Colombia's Air Force Hercules C-130 crashes after takeoff; death toll 34–66.

A Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday, March 23, 2026, in southern Colombia's Putumayo department near the borders with Peru and Ecuador.

“Authorities activated emergency protocols and, with the community's support, transported several injured to nearby medical facilities”

A24

The incident resulted in one of the deadliest military aviation accidents in Colombia's recent history, with conflicting casualty reports that eventually confirmed 66 fatalities, 57 injured survivors, and four military personnel still missing.

A24

The crash occurred around 9:50 local time when the aircraft carrying troops lost control moments after departing from Puerto Leguizamo airport, plunging into dense jungle terrain approximately 1.5-3 kilometers from the runway.

The aircraft was carrying a substantial military contingent, with official figures varying between 110 and 128 personnel on board, including soldiers, air force crew, and police officers.

Among the deceased were 58 members of the National Army, six Colombian Aerospace Force crew members, and two National Police officers.

ABC

Rescue operations were significantly hampered by the remote Amazon location, with local residents playing a crucial role in the initial response by transporting injured soldiers on motorcycles to limited medical facilities in Puerto Leguizamo before military medical teams could establish proper evacuation protocols.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed that the aircraft had been in airworthy condition with a qualified crew, ruling out any attack by illegal armed groups as a cause.

The crash triggered secondary explosions as ammunition being transported onboard detonated due to the fire, further complicating rescue efforts and increasing the severity of the disaster.

Investigators from the Colombian Aerospace Force Inspectorate General were deployed to determine the technical causes, with initial reports suggesting the aircraft may have suffered an impact near the end of the runway before losing lift during the critical takeoff phase.

The tragedy has reignited political debate about Colombia's military equipment modernization, with President Gustavo Petro criticizing bureaucratic delays that have hindered his administration's efforts to upgrade aging aircraft fleets.

Petro emphasized that 'the lives of young people are at stake' and threatened to remove officials who fail to address modernization challenges.

ABC

The incident occurred amid heightened military operations in the border region, where Colombian and Ecuadoran forces have been targeting drug-trafficking cartels and militias, underscoring the strategic importance of reliable air transport in Colombia's internal security operations.

This crash represents the second major incident involving a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America within less than a month, following a fatal accident in Bolivia on February 27 where a similar aircraft crashed in El Alto, killing at least 24 people.

“GENERAL RESOURCES OF AID OPERATIONS”

ABC

The Colombian aircraft involved, registration FAC 1016, was a C-130H model built in 1984 that had been transferred from the U.S. Air Force to Colombia in 2020 through the Excess Defense Articles program.

ABC

The incident has raised broader concerns about the safety and maintenance of aging military transport aircraft across the region, particularly those operating in challenging environments like the Amazon basin where infrastructure is limited and operational demands are high.