International

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Bogotá, March 24 — The devastating military plane crash in southern Colombia has claimed the lives of at least 34 people, most of them soldiers, while leaving dozens injured and many still unaccounted for. Authorities fear the death toll could rise as rescue teams continue their search operations in the dense Amazon region.

The occurred on Monday shortly after the aircraft took off with 125 people on board, including both passengers and crew. The plane went down deep within the remote Amazon jungle, making rescue efforts challenging due to difficult terrain and limited accessibility. Officials confirmed that at least 70 individuals sustained injuries in the crash, while 21 others remain missing.

The aircraft had been transporting military personnel from the area of Puerto Leguízamo to another location when the incident took place. Putumayo Department Governor Juan Gabriel Molina stated that the crash occurred near the border with Peru, adding further complications to the ongoing rescue and recovery operations.

Military officials revealed that the ill-fated aircraft was a Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a widely used transport plane, carrying 114 passengers along with 11 crew members at the time of the crash. General Fernando Silva confirmed the details, noting that emergency teams were deployed immediately after the incident was reported.

The tragedy has sparked national concern, with Gustavo Petro expressing deep sorrow and alarm over the incident. The President pointed to long-standing delays in modernizing the country’s military infrastructure as a contributing factor and emphasized that such delays would no longer be tolerated. His remarks have intensified discussions about the state of Colombia’s defense capabilities and the need for urgent reforms.

As search and rescue operations continue, hopes remain of locating the missing individuals. The challenging conditions of the Amazon rainforest are hampering efforts, raising fears that the final toll may be significantly higher. The nation now mourns the loss while awaiting answers about what led to one of the deadliest military aviation disasters in recent times.