At least 66 killed in military plane crash in Colombia, head of armed forces says

Key Points:

• A military transport plane carrying 128 people, mostly soldiers, crashed shortly after takeoff in Puerto Leguizamo, Colombia, resulting in at least 66 fatalities and dozens injured, with four military personnel still missing.
• Authorities reported no evidence of the crash being caused by an attack from illegal armed groups, with the plane experiencing mechanical problems about two kilometers from the airport.
• Local residents and medical clinics in Puerto Leguizamo assisted in rescuing and treating the injured before they were airlifted to larger cities for further care.
• The crashed aircraft, a Hercules C-130 donated by the United States in 2020 and recently overhauled, is under investigation to determine the cause of the engine failure shortly after takeoff.
• Colombian President Gustavo Petro used the incident to call for modernization of military equipment and criticized bureaucratic obstacles, while critics highlighted reduced flight hours for military aircraft due to budget cuts under his administration.