A military Hercules C-130 plane crashed in Colombia with approximately 110 soldiers on board. The aircraft is believed to have been en route to move its forces from one destination to another.
Pedro Sanchez, Minister of Defence for Colombia, stated to reporters that the aircraft had just launched from Puerto Leguizamo, which is located in the southern Colombian Amazon and near the border of Peru, when the accident occurred. Sanchez stated that the number of fatalities and the cause of the accident were currently unknown.
🔴Reportan accidente de avión de la Fuerza Aérea en Putumayo
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Al menos 90 uniformados se movilizaban en el avión Hércules, de la Fuerza Aérea, que se accidentó, en la mañana de este lunes 23 de marzo.
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“With deep sorrow, I report that a Hercules aircraft from our @FuerzaAereaCol suffered a tragic accident while taking off from Puerto Leguizamo (Putumayo), as it was transporting troops from our Public Force. Military units are already at the scene of the incident; however, the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined,” the Defence Minister said in a X post.
According to Colombia’s local news outlet BluRadio, the crash happened just 3 km (2 miles) from an urban area.
History Of Hercules C-130
The Hercules C-130 aircraft was first launched in the 1950s, with Colombia acquiring its first models in the late 1960s. The nation has recently modernised some older aircraft with newer models sent from the United States under a law permitting the transfer of used or surplus military equipment.
Lockheed Martin Corp, manufacturer of the C-130 Hercules, has yet to state the event.
Recent C-130 Crash In Bolivian
However, it is notable that in late February, a C-130 operated by the Bolivian Air Force crashed within the heavily-populated Alto region; fortunately, the crash occurred just prior to the aircraft impacting homes.
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As per the reports, the Bolivian incident resulted in over 20 fatalities and 30 injuries. Additionally, numerous pieces of currency contained within the airframe structure were deposited throughout the city; this resulted in violent confrontations between citizens and law enforcement officials.