Thursday 26 Mar 2026
Colombia says 125 troops on crashed aircraft. (Photo/AFP)
A tragic aviation incident has unfolded in the southern reaches of Colombia, where a military transport plane, a Hercules C-130, crashed shortly after its departure from Puerto Leguizamo. The flight, identified as FAC 1016, was en route to another Amazon outpost, carrying a total of 125 individuals, including 114 army personnel and 11 crew members. This disaster has caused profound sorrow, with the death toll currently standing at at least 66 people, while 48 survivors have been identified and 21 individuals remain listed as missing. Emergency response teams and military units have been deployed to the site to manage the aftermath of this significant tragedy. President Gustavo Petro has publicly acknowledged the event, noting that the specific cause of the crash remains unknown at this time. Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez has expressed deep condolences to the families of those affected by this loss, emphasizing the government's commitment to supporting the injured. Authorities are conducting a thorough search and recovery operation amidst the difficult jungle conditions, where the aircraft wreckage was found scattered. Officials have strongly urged the public and the media to refrain from speculating on the causes of the crash until official information is released and the investigation proceeds. The border area between Colombia and Ecuador, where the crash occurred, has been a theater of intense military activity in recent weeks. Colombian and Ecuadorian forces have been actively collaborating in operations against drug-running cartels that operate within this remote and challenging territory. The high frequency of flights transporting personnel in this region is necessary due to the difficult terrain, which restricts ground travel. This recent accident compounds the challenges faced by military forces, who are now managing an emergency situation while simultaneously maintaining their operational duties.
At least 66 people have been killed, and dozens of others have been wounded when a Colombian military plane carrying 125 people crashed in the south of the country, a military source told AFP news agency.
The Hercules C-130 aircraft went down shortly after departure from Puerto Leguizamo, near the southern border with Ecuador, strewing burning wreckage on the jungle floor.
The Colombian Air Force aircraft, marked FAC 1016, was transporting 114 army personnel and 11 crew members between Puerto Leguizamo and another Amazon outpost.
General Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda confirmed the total number of people on board, while officials have reported that as many as 48 survivors have been found.
Twenty-one people remain missing.
President Gustavo Petro has said earlier that the cause of the incident is unknown.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed "deep sorrow" over the tragic accident and confirmed that a deployment is underway to assist the injured.
"I express my most sincere condolences to the families of those affected and... I urge avoiding speculation until official information is available," Sanchez wrote on X.
Heavy military activity
Images from the scene showed civilians clambering around the broken tail of the aircraft as smoke and flames billowed above the trees.
The troubled border area has been the scene of heavy military activity in recent weeks, as Colombian and Ecuadoran forces tackle drug-running cartels.
The crash is the second by a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America in under a month.
A Bolivian military cargo plane crashed near La Paz on 27 February, leaving at least 24 people dead.
The Hercules, a four-engine turboprop built by Lockheed Martin, is renowned for its ability to operate from makeshift airstrips and is widely used by militaries worldwide.
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Source: TRT
