Colombian Military Plane Crash: 66 Killed, 21 Missing and Several Injured Out of 125 Onboard

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): An army plane crashed in Colombia's southern Amazon region on Monday. At least 66 of the 125 people on board have died. The accident is considered one of the deadliest accidents in the recent history of the Colombian Air Force. Nearly two dozen people are still missing among the debris. According to Putumayo Department Governor John Gabriel Molina, 66 people have died, many are injured and 21 are still missing.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Xinhua that the Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 transport plane was taking off from Puerto Leguizamo, near the Peruvian border, when the accident occurred. He also said the death and injured figures were subject to change.

According to firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas, the plane struck an object near the end of the runway while taking off. Then, as it descended, one of its wings struck a tree, causing the plane to catch fire. The fire also detonated some explosive devices on board.

A video of the incident is circulating on social media, showing locals being the first to respond to rescue and relief efforts. Some were seen carrying injured soldiers on motorcycles through unpaved roads to the hospital. Later, army vehicles also arrived at the scene, but according to officials, the difficult terrain posed significant difficulties in carrying out the rescue and relief efforts.