Military transport plane crash in southern Colombia kills 8, injures over 80

Colombia military says about 80 troops believed dead after C-130 crash with 110 on board

Eight people were killed and over 80 injured in southern Colombia Monday, when a military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff, government officials said. The Hercules aircraft had 125 people aboard when it went down shortly after departure from Puerto Leguizamo, near the southern border with Ecuador.

The country’s defence ministry said on Monday that a Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 aircraft was involved in an accident in the southern Amazon region, near the border with Peru. According to local media outlet BluRadio, approximately 110 soldiers were travelling on the plane.

Video footage shows the burning wreckage of a Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules after crashing earlier during take off from Puerto Leguízamo, with authorities reporting that the death toll includes at least 90 officers with the Fuerza Pública de Colombia.

(OSINTdefender) pic.twitter.com/yH5bNAkXkB — Mor Edge Insight (@MorEdge_Insight) March 23, 2026

Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez said the aircraft was taking off from Puerto Leguízamo when the incident occurred, adding that the plane was transporting troops from the armed forces.

"With deep sorrow, I report that a Hercules aircraft from our [Colombian Aerospace Force] suffered a tragic accident while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo (Putumayo), while transporting troops from our Public Force."

Emergency and military teams have been deployed to the site. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the number of casualties or the cause of the crash.

"Military units are already at the scene; however, the number of victims and the causes of the accident have not yet been precisely determined."

BluRadio reported that the crash took place about 3 km (2 miles) from an urban centre. The situation remains developing as officials continue rescue and assessment operations.